Nehemiah 8:14-18
As they studied the Law, they discovered that the Lord had commanded through Moses that the Israelites should live in shelters during the festival to be held that month.He had said that a proclamation should be made throughout their towns and in Jerusalem, telling the people to go to the hills to get branches from olive, wild olive, myrtle, palm, and other leafy trees. They were to use these branches to make shelters in which they would live during the festival, as prescribed in the Law.So the people went out and cut branches and used them to build shelters on the roofs of their houses, in their courtyards, in the courtyards of God’s Temple, or in the squares just inside the Water Gate and the Ephraim Gate.So everyone who had returned from captivity lived in these shelters during the festival, and they were all filled with great joy! The Israelites had not celebrated like this since the days of Joshua son of Nun.Ezra read from the Book of the Law of God on each of the seven days of the festival. Then on the eighth day they held a solemn assembly, as was required by law.
Numbers 29:12-40
“ Five days later, on the fifteenth day of the same month, you must call another holy assembly of all the people, and you may do no ordinary work on that day. It is the beginning of the Festival of Shelters, a seven day festival to the Lord.On the first day of the festival, you must present a burnt offering as a special gift, a pleasing aroma to the Lord. It will consist of thirteen young bulls, two rams, and fourteen one year old male lambs, all with no defects.Each of these offerings must be accompanied by a grain offering of choice flour moistened with olive oil— six quarts for each of the thirteen bulls, four quarts for each of the two rams,and two quarts for each of the fourteen lambs.You must also sacrifice a male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its accompanying grain offering and liquid offering.“ On the second day of this seven day festival, sacrifice twelve young bulls, two rams, and fourteen one year old male lambs, all with no defects.Each of these offerings of bulls, rams, and lambs must be accompanied by its prescribed grain offering and liquid offering.You must also sacrifice a male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its accompanying grain offering and liquid offering.“ On the third day of the festival, sacrifice eleven young bulls, two rams, and fourteen one year old male lambs, all with no defects.Each of these offerings of bulls, rams, and lambs must be accompanied by its prescribed grain offering and liquid offering.You must also sacrifice a male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its accompanying grain offering and liquid offering.“ On the fourth day of the festival, sacrifice ten young bulls, two rams, and fourteen one year old male lambs, all with no defects.Each of these offerings of bulls, rams, and lambs must be accompanied by its prescribed grain offering and liquid offering.You must also sacrifice a male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its accompanying grain offering and liquid offering.“ On the fifth day of the festival, sacrifice nine young bulls, two rams, and fourteen one year old male lambs, all with no defects.Each of these offerings of bulls, rams, and lambs must be accompanied by its prescribed grain offering and liquid offering.You must also sacrifice a male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its accompanying grain offering and liquid offering.“ On the sixth day of the festival, sacrifice eight young bulls, two rams, and fourteen one year old male lambs, all with no defects.Each of these offerings of bulls, rams, and lambs must be accompanied by its prescribed grain offering and liquid offering.You must also sacrifice a male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its accompanying grain offering and liquid offering.“ On the seventh day of the festival, sacrifice seven young bulls, two rams, and fourteen one year old male lambs, all with no defects.Each of these offerings of bulls, rams, and lambs must be accompanied by its prescribed grain offering and liquid offering.You must also sacrifice one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its accompanying grain offering and liquid offering.“ On the eighth day of the festival, proclaim another holy day. You must do no ordinary work on that day.You must present a burnt offering as a special gift, a pleasing aroma to the Lord. It will consist of one young bull, one ram, and seven one year old male lambs, all with no defects.Each of these offerings must be accompanied by its prescribed grain offering and liquid offering.You must also sacrifice one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its accompanying grain offering and liquid offering.“ You must present these offerings to the Lord at your annual festivals. These are in addition to the sacrifices and offerings you present in connection with vows, or as voluntary offerings, burnt offerings, grain offerings, liquid offerings, or peace offerings.”So Moses gave all of these instructions to the people of Israel as the Lord had commanded him.