23:33 耶和華對摩西說：
23:34 「你曉諭以色列人說：這七月十五日是住棚節，要在耶和華面前守這節七日。
23:35 第一日當有聖會，甚麼勞碌的工都不可做。
23:36 七日內要將火祭獻給耶和華。第八日當守聖會，要將火祭獻給耶和華。這是嚴肅會，甚麼勞碌的工都不可做。
23:37 「這是耶和華的節期，就是你們要宣告為聖會的節期；要將火祭、燔祭、素祭、祭物，並奠祭，各歸各日，獻給耶和華。
23:38 這是在耶和華的安息日以外，又在你們的供物和所許的願，並甘心獻給耶和華的以外。
23:39 「你們收藏了地的出產，就從七月十五日起，要守耶和華的節七日。第一日為聖安息；第八日也為聖安息。
23:40 第一日要拿美好樹上的果子和棕樹上的枝子，與茂密樹的枝條並河旁的柳枝，在耶和華─你們的上帝面前歡樂七日。
23:41 每年七月間，要向耶和華守這節七日。這為你們世世代代永遠的定例。
23:42 你們要住在棚裡七日；凡以色列家的人都要住在棚裡，
23:43 好叫你們世世代代知道，我領以色列人出埃及地的時候曾使他們住在棚裡。我是耶和華─你們的上帝。」
23:44 於是，摩西將耶和華的節期傳給以色列人。
33 The Lord said to Moses, 34 “Say
to the Israelites: ‘On the fifteenth day of the seventh month the Lord’s Festival of Tabernacles begins,
and it lasts for seven days. 35 The first day is a sacred
assembly; do no regular work. 36 For seven days present food
offerings to the Lord, and on the
eighth day hold a sacred assembly and present a food offering to the Lord. It is the closing special
assembly; do no regular work.
37 (“‘These
are the Lord’s appointed
festivals, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies for bringing food
offerings to the Lord—the burnt
offerings and grain offerings, sacrifices and drink offerings required for each
day. 38 These offerings are in addition to those for the Lord’s Sabbaths and[e] in addition
to your gifts and whatever you have vowed and all the freewill offerings you
give to the Lord.)
39 “‘So
beginning with the fifteenth day of the seventh month, after you have gathered
the crops of the land, celebrate the festival to the Lord for seven days; the first day is a day of sabbath rest,
and the eighth day also is a day of sabbath rest. 40 On the
first day you are to take branches from luxuriant trees—from palms, willows and
other leafy trees—and rejoice before the Lord
your God for seven days. 41 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. 42 Live in temporary shelters for seven
days: All native-born Israelites are to live in such shelters 43 so
your descendants will know that I had the Israelites live in temporary shelters
when I brought them out of Egypt. I am the Lord
your God.’”
44 So
Moses announced to the Israelites the appointed festivals of the Lord.
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住棚節除了紀念在曠野的日子住在帳篷中，更是慶祝秋收的日子，因為這個時間大概是陽曆10月到11月左右，就像現在這個時節。
上帝要他們從安息日到安息日來慶祝這日子：「你們收藏了地的出產，就從七月十五日起，要守耶和華的節七日。第一日為聖安息；第八日也為聖安息。第一日要拿美好樹上的果子和棕樹上的枝子，與茂密樹的枝條並河旁的柳枝，在耶和華─你們的上帝面前歡樂七日。」
的確，上帝不是嚴肅的上帝，祂是使人喜樂的上帝，祂不是要我們只盼望天堂的福樂，更是要我們在地上的日子也要歡樂來敬拜祂、享受祂！也因此，得救的表徵就是是喜樂！
