John 7:2

Tabernacles. [At the Feast of Tabernacles, John 7:2-13. See Early Peraean Ministry; The Duration of Christ’s Ministry, the Opening of the Galilean Ministry, The Ministry of Our Lord.] This feast began on the fifteenth of Tishri (Lev. 23:34). The interval from Passover to Tabernacles was about six months. The feast continued for seven days, during which the Israelites dwelt in booths, in remembrance of their dwelling in tents when they came out of Egypt (Lev. 23:40-42; cf. Neh. 8:16). In addition the eighth day was to be a “sabbath” (Lev. 23:39). Like the Feast of Unleavened Bread and the Feast of Harvest (Pentecost), this Feast of Ingathering was one of the “three times ... in the year” when every male Jew was required to appear before the Lord (Ex. 23:14; Deut. 16:16). Josephus says that it was “considered especially sacred and important by the Hebrews” (Antiquities viii. 4. 1 [100]). It was at once a thankful memorial of the national deliverance and a yearly rejoicing at the close of each harvest (Lev. 23:42, 43; Deut. 16:13-16).