The Meaning of Nehemiah 8:17 Explained

Nehemiah 8:17

KJV: And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths, and sat under the booths: for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness.

YLT: And they make -- all the assembly of the captives of the captivity -- booths, and they sit in booths; for the sons of Israel had not done, from the days of Jeshua son of Nun, so unto that day, and there is very great joy.

Darby: And all the congregation of them that had come back from the captivity made booths, and dwelt in the booths. For since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun until that day had not the children of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness.

ASV: And all the assembly of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths, and dwelt in the booths; for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And all the congregation  of them that were come again  out of the captivity  made  booths,  and sat  under the booths:  for since the days  of Jeshua  the son  of Nun  unto that day  had not the children  of Israel  done so.  And there was very  great  gladness. 

What does Nehemiah 8:17 Mean?

Study Notes

for since the days of Jeshua
It is not meant that there had not been some formal observance of the feast of tabernacles (cf) 2 Chronicles 8:13 ; Ezekiel 3:4 , but that the people had not dwelt in booths since Joshua's days.

Context Summary

Nehemiah 8:1-18 - New Light From God's Law
Surely this was the first public Bible-reading! When will the people be again as hungry for the Word of God as these Jews who stood in the open space from early dawn till the scorching noon? What reverence for the Word! When Ezra opened the Book, all the people stood up. What holy worship! When he blessed the great God, all the people answered, Amen, amen! What a model to us all! They gave the sense, so that they understood. What searching of heart! The people wept when they heard the words of the law.
There is nothing which weakens us so much as does unrestrained remorse. Contriteness of heart is wholesome and helpful, but excessive grief incapacitates us for our duties. It is well therefore to cultivate holy joy; the joy of sin forgiven, of acceptance with God, of hope that anchors us to the unseen, and that cannot be ashamed. You may not be able to joy in yourself or your surroundings, but you may always rejoice in the Lord. [source]

Chapter Summary: Nehemiah 8

1  The reverent manner of reading and hearing the law
9  They comfort the people
13  The eagerness of the people to hear and be instructed
16  They keep the feast of tabernacles

What do the individual words in Nehemiah 8:17 mean?

So made whole the assembly of those who had returned from the captivity booths and sat under the booths for not had done since the days of Joshua the son of Nun so The sons of Israel until day that and there was gladness great very
וַיַּֽעֲשׂ֣וּ כָֽל־ הַ֠קָּהָל הַשָּׁבִ֨ים מִן־ הַשְּׁבִ֥י ׀ סֻכּוֹת֮ וַיֵּשְׁב֣וּ בַסֻּכּוֹת֒ כִּ֣י לֹֽא־ עָשׂ֡וּ מִימֵי֩ יֵשׁ֨וּעַ בִּן־ נ֥וּן כֵּן֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל עַ֖ד הַיּ֣וֹם הַה֑וּא וַתְּהִ֥י שִׂמְחָ֖ה גְּדוֹלָ֥ה מְאֹֽד

וַיַּֽעֲשׂ֣וּ  So  made 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
כָֽל־  whole 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
הַ֠קָּהָל  the  assembly 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: קָהָל  
Sense: assembly, company, congregation, convocation.
הַשָּׁבִ֨ים  of  those  who  had  returned 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
הַשְּׁבִ֥י ׀  the  captivity 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שְׁבִי 
Sense: captivity, captives.
סֻכּוֹת֮  booths 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: סֻכָּה  
Sense: thicket, covert, booth.
וַיֵּשְׁב֣וּ  and  sat 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
בַסֻּכּוֹת֒  under  the  booths 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine plural
Root: סֻכָּה  
Sense: thicket, covert, booth.
עָשׂ֡וּ  had  done 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
מִימֵי֩  since  the  days 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
יֵשׁ֨וּעַ  of  Joshua 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יֵשׁוּעַ 
Sense: son of Nun of the tribe of Ephraim and successor to Moses as the leader of the children of Israel; led the conquest of Canaan.
בִּן־  the  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
נ֥וּן  of  Nun 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: נוּן  
Sense: father of Joshua the successor of Moses.
כֵּן֙  so 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֵּן 
Sense: so, therefore, thus.
בְּנֵ֣י  The  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
עַ֖ד  until 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
הַיּ֣וֹם  day 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
הַה֑וּא  that 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
וַתְּהִ֥י  and  there  was 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
שִׂמְחָ֖ה  gladness 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: שִׂמְחָה  
Sense: joy, mirth, gladness.
גְּדוֹלָ֥ה  great 
Parse: Adjective, feminine singular
Root: גָּבֹול 
Sense: great.
מְאֹֽד  very 
Parse: Adverb
Root: מְאֹד  
Sense: exceedingly, much subst.