Chap. VI The Feast of Tabernacles
The Greek word used to express this Festivity, properly signifieth the making of Tabernacles:328 the Hebrew word, a Feast of Tabernacles.329 The reason of both is, because all the time of this Feast, which was full seven daies, (from the fifteenth of Tisri, untill the one and twentieth thereof) the people remained in Tabernacles and Booths made of Boughs, in manner of Arbors and Bowers; yet so, that the first day of those seven, and the last, were after a more special manner to be observed as holy Convocations.
Concerning these Booths, the Jews write thus:330 They ought to be made in the open Air, not within doors, nor under the shelter of a Tree; they ought not to be covered with cloaths, nor to be made too close with the thickness of the Boughs, but with such holes that the Sun and the Stars might be seen thorow them, and the rain likewise descend thorow them. In these they ought to dwell those seven days, as in their houses; they ought to furnish them with houshold-stuff to ly under them, and sleep under them; only in rainy weather, then they had liberty to eat and sleep in their houses, untill the rain was over-past. Feeble persons also, which could not endure the smell of the earth, were permited to stay at home. In Nehemiah’s time they made their Booths, some upon the roof of their houses (for their houses were made flat above) Deut. 22. 8. Some in their Courts, some in their streets, Nehem. 8. 15.
Plutarch making mention of this Festivity, saith,331 that these Booths were made principally of Ivy boughs: but the Scripture reckoneth up four distinct kinds, Levit. 23. 40. which are thought to be, 1. The Cittern tree. 2. The Palm-tree. 3. The Myrtle tree. 4. The willow of the brook. The Rabbins teach,332 that every man brought every morning his burden of the boughs of these four Trees, otherwise he fasted that day. And this burden they termed333 Hosanna: in allusion unto this the people cutting down branches from the Trees, and strewing them in the way when our Saviour did ride into Jerusalem, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David, Mat. 21. 9. Plutarch scoffing the Jews, compares this Feast with that drunken Festival in the honour of Bacchus, in which the Bacchides ran up and down with certain Javelings in their hands, wrapped about with Ivy, called θυρσοὶ and in this respect he termeth this feast of the Jews θυρσοφορίαν A bearing about of these Thyrsi. That feast which the Athenians term Εἰρεσιώνη, was not much unlike.
Moreover on the next day after this feast, they compassed the Altar334 seven times with Palm-boughs in their hands, in the remembrance of the overthrow of Jericho: for which reason, or else because that Palm branches were the chief in the bundle, it was called Dies Palmarum, Palm Feast.
Concerning the reason of this Feast; some are of opinion, that it was instituted in memory of that protection which the Lord vouchsafed the Israelites by the Cloud, when they travelled thorow the Wilderness, under the shadow of which they travelled, as under a safe Booth or Tent. Onkelos in his Chaldee Paraphrase, seemeth to incline to this opinion. Where the Hebrew readeth; That your posterity may know, that I have made the children of Israel to dwell in Booths, Lev. 23. 43. The Chaldee rendereth it, That your posterity may know that I have made the children of Israel to dwell in the shadow of Clouds.335 Others think336 it was instituted as a solemn thanksgiving unto God for their Vintage, which was gathered in at that time of the year; thence it is that they conceive those Psalms of David, which are entituled על הגתית pro torcularibus, to have been composed for this feast. Others speak more probably, who assign the cause to be in memory of their Fore-fathers dwelling in Tents and Tabernacles; the Text is clear, Levit. 23. 43.
The Sacrifices which were offered these seven daies, are prescribed: Numb. 29. from the thirteenth verse to the thirty fourth, where we shall read every day the like Sacrifice, but only with this difference, that upon the first day they offered thirteen young bullocks, upon the second twelve, upon the third eleven, and so forward, ever diminishing the number by one. The reason of which diminution, the Jews deliver to be this:337 the whole number of bullocks to be offered at this solemnity was seventy, according to the Languages of the seventy Nations, (for whom, as they teach, these sacrifices were performed) signifying thereby, that there should be a diminution of those Nations, until all things were brought under the government of the Messias who was the expectation and Hope of the Gentiles.
The two and twentieth of the month Tisri, was in truth a distinct feast, as appeareth, Neh. 8. 18. but yet because this immediately followed the Feast of Tabernacles, it hath been always counted the last day of that Feast. And not only the boughs, but the days of this whole feast of Tabernacles were termed338 Hosannoth, from the usual acclamations of the people, whiles they carried Boughs up and down. And this eighth day was called Hosanna Rabba, the great Hosanna, or the great day of the feast. John 7. 37. Upon this day339 they did read the last Section of the Law, and likewise began the first, least they might otherwise seem more joyful in ending their Sections, than willing to begin them. Upon this day also,340 by the Institution of the Prophet Haggæus and Zachary, and such like Prophetical men, they did with great solemnity and joy, bring great store of water from the River Shiloah to the Temple, where it being delivered unto the Priests, it was poured upon the Altar, together with Wine, and all the people sung that of the Prophet Esay. 12. 13. With joy shall ye draw water out of the Wells of salvation. Our Saviour is thought to have alluded unto this, in that speech which he used on this very day, John 7. 38. He that believeth in me, out of his belly shall flow rivers of waters of life.
It is worth our noting also, that whereas God commanded the Observation of this Feast on the fifteenth of the seventh month Tisri; Jeroboam, that he might work in the people a forgetfulness of the true Worship of God, appointed341 the celebration of a Feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day thereof, which is thought to be this very feast of Tabernacles.
Notes
328 Jansen. Concord. cap. 73. Item Tollet. in Joan. 7. σκηνοπαγία, non σκηνοφαγία.
329 חג הסכות Chag hasuccoth.
330 Munster Levit. 23.
331 Plutarch. Sympos. 4. Problem. 5.
332 P. Fag. Levit. 23.
333 Elias Thisbit.
334 Hospinian. de Orig. fest. cap. 7. It. Munst. in Calendar. p. 150.
335 במטלת עננין
336 Theophylact. John 5.
337 Hospinian. de Orig. hujus fest.
338 Talmud. tract. de fest. Tabernaculorum, cap. הלול Vid. Tremel. John 7. 37.
339 Buxtorf. in abbreviatur. p. 253.
340 Tremel. Joh. 7. 37. ex Talmud.
341 Hospinian. de Orig. hujus fest. p. 24.