Rules about the Festival of Huts
33 The Lord said to Moses, 34 ‘Tell Israel's people, “Each year, on the 15th day of the seventh month, the Festival of Huts will start. The festival will continue for seven days, to give honour to the Lord. 35 On the first day of the festival, you must meet together to worship the Lord. You must not do any of your usual work. 36 For seven days you must offer special gifts to the Lord. On the eighth day you must meet together to worship the Lord. You must offer a special gift to him. It is the last day of the festival and you must all meet together. You must not do any of your usual work.
37 These are the rules for the special days that the Lord has chosen. They are times when you must meet together to worship the Lord. You will also offer special gifts to him. You will bring burnt offerings, grain offerings, drink offerings and sacrifices each day, as the rules teach. 38 You must meet to worship the Lord on these festival days, as well as on each Sabbath day. You must make these special offerings at festivals, as well as your usual gifts. You must give them to the Lord, as well as the gifts that you have promised to give and the gifts that you choose to give.
39 On the 15th day of the seventh month, you must begin the Festival of Huts. That is the time when you bring your crops home from the fields. This festival will continue for seven days, to give honour to the Lord. The first day and the eighth day of the festival are days of complete rest from your usual work. 40 On the first day, you must pick fruit from your best trees. Cut off branches of palm trees, willow trees and other trees with many leaves. Then for seven days you will be happy as you give honour to the Lord.
41 You must worship the Lord in this way for seven days. Do this in the seventh month of each year. This is a rule that will continue for all time. 42 All of you who were born as Israelites must live in huts for seven days. 43 Then your descendants in the future will know that Israel's people lived in tents for many years. I caused them to do that after I rescued them from the land of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.” ’
23:42The people used sticks and branches to make huts that were like tents.
44 Moses told the Israelites these rules about the festivals that the Lord had chosen. They were times for them to worship him.
