Lexical Summary sukkah: Booth, Tabernacle, Hut, Shelter Original Word: סֻכָּה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance booth, cottage, covert, pavilion, tabernacle, tent Fem of cok; a hut or lair -- booth, cottage, covert, pavilion, tabernacle, tent. see HEBREW cok NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom sakak Definition a thicket, booth NASB Translation booth (1), Booths (9), booths (8), canopies (1), canopy (1), hut (1), lair (1), pavilion (1), shelter (4), temporary shelters (3). Brown-Driver-Briggs סֻכָּה noun feminine thicket, booth (properly of inter-woven boughs compare Nehemiah 8:15); — absolute ׳ס Isaiah 1:8 +; construct סֻכָּת Amos 9:11; suffix סֻכָּתוֺ Job 36:29; Psalm 18:12, and so read "" 2 Samuel 22:12 (for ᵑ0 סֻכּוֺת; De Hup-Now HPS); usually plural סֻכֹּת Genesis 33:17 +; סֻכּוֺת 2 Samuel 11:11 +; — 1 thicket, lurking-place of lions Job 38:40 (compare [סֹךְ] 1). 2 booth, rude or temporary shelter, for cattle Genesis 33:17 (J; distinct from בַּיִת), but also for warriors in the field 2 Samuel 11:11; 1 Kings 20:12,16; for watchers in vineyards Isaiah 1:8 (simile) Job 27:18 (simile of frailty), for man's shelter from sun Jonah 4:5, compare (figurative) Isaiah 4:6; Psalm 31:21, probably also Psalm 27:5 (see [ סֹךְ]); in poetry of fallen house (dynasty) of David Amos 9:11; of clouds as (temporary) enclosure (AV 'pavilion') of ׳י in storm Psalm 18:12 = 2 Samuel 22:12; Job 36:29. 3 specifically of booths, made of boughs, in which people lived at harvest-feast Leviticus 23:42 (twice in verse); Leviticus 23:43 (H), Nehemiah 8:14,15,16,17 (twice in verse), hence called חַג הַסֻכּוֺת Deuteronomy 16:13,16; Deuteronomy 31:10; Leviticus 23:34 (P), Zechariah 14:16,18,19; 2Chronicles 8:13; Ezra 3:4. Topical Lexicon Overview The Hebrew noun sukkah denotes a temporary booth, hut, or shelter constructed from branches or other readily available materials. In Scripture these structures appear in agrarian settings, festival observance, military life, personal devotion, and prophetic promise. A survey of the thirty–one occurrences demonstrates the flexibility of the term while consistently underscoring the themes of divine protection, pilgrim identity, and covenant remembrance. Temporary Shelter in Agrarian and Pastoral Life • Genesis 33:17 records Jacob naming a region “Succoth” after he “built a house for himself and shelters for his livestock.” These references anchor the word in ordinary life: protection from sun and elements during harvest or travel, never intended as permanent housing. The ephemerality intentionally contrasts with the LORD’s enduring faithfulness. The Feast of Booths (Sukkoth) The largest concentration of occurrences centers on Israel’s autumn pilgrimage festival. The Feast of Booths memorializes divine deliverance from Egypt, celebrates the completion of harvest, and looks ahead to eschatological rest. The booths themselves become lived-in parables of dependence: the LORD alone is Israel’s dwelling place (Psalm 90:1). Covenantal Remembrance and Redemptive Typology Living in sukkot entrenches historical memory and anticipates gospel fulfillment. Just as Israel once sojourned in temporary shelters under God’s cloud, believers today await the consummation when “the dwelling of God is with men” (Revelation 21:3). The incarnation hints at this trajectory: “The Word became flesh and tabernacled among us” (John 1:14). The continuing relevance of the festival is further implied in Zechariah 14:16–19, where all nations will attend the Feast of Booths in the messianic kingdom. Royal and National Symbolism • 2 Samuel 11:11 records Uriah’s loyalty while “the ark and Israel and Judah are dwelling in booths,” exposing David’s lapse in wartime ethics. Personal and Devotional Use Several psalms employ sukkah metaphorically for God’s protective presence: These passages translate the tangible booth into an invisible spiritual refuge, encouraging trust during adversity. Prophetic and Eschatological Horizons Isaiah 4:6 envisions a future glory where “It will be a shelter and shade from the heat of the day, a refuge and hiding place from the storm and the rain.” The imagery of a universal sukkah merges with themes of renewed creation and the Spirit’s outpouring. Amos’s promise of David’s restored booth anticipates Acts 15:16–18, where James sees its initial fulfillment in the inclusion of Gentiles. Experiential Illustrations Biblical writers often juxtapose the fragility of the booth with God’s mighty acts. The structure’s porous roof lets starlight through—an invitation to count promises like Abraham. Its flimsiness reminds pilgrims of wilderness vulnerabilities yet also of manna, water from the rock, and cloud by day. Practical Ministry Implications 1. Discipleship: Encourage believers to embrace earthly transience, pursuing kingdom priorities over material permanence. The recurring picture of the sukkah therefore calls the covenant community to remember, rejoice, and remain expectant, resting beneath the gracious canopy of God’s unfailing protection until faith gives way to sight. Forms and Transliterations בְּסֻכָּ֗ה בַּסֻּכֹּ֥ת בַּסֻּכֹּֽת׃ בַּסֻּכּ֑וֹת בַּסֻּכּ֗וֹת בַּסֻּכּ֛וֹת בַסֻּכָּ֣ה בַסֻּכּ֗וֹת בַסֻּכּוֹת֒ בסכה בסכות בסכת בסכת׃ הַסֻּכֹּ֛ת הַסֻּכּ֑וֹת הַסֻּכּ֖וֹת הַסֻּכּ֛וֹת הַסֻּכּֽוֹת׃ הסכות הסכות׃ הסכת וְסֻכָּ֛ה וּ֝כְסֻכָּ֗ה וכסכה וסכה כְּסֻכָּ֣ה כסכה סֻכַּ֥ת סֻכָּ֗ה סֻכָּת֑וֹ סֻכָּתֽוֹ׃ סֻכֹּ֔ת סֻכֹּ֖ת סֻכּ֑וֹת סֻכּ֜וֹת סֻכּוֹת֮ סכה סכות סכת סכתו סכתו׃ ḇas·suk·kāh bas·suk·kō·wṯ ḇas·suk·kō·wṯ bas·suk·kōṯ ḇassukkāh bassukKot bassukkōṯ bassukkōwṯ ḇassukkōwṯ bə·suk·kāh besukKah bəsukkāh has·suk·kō·wṯ has·suk·kōṯ hassukKot hassukkōṯ hassukkōwṯ kə·suk·kāh kesukKah kəsukkāh suk·kā·ṯōw suk·kāh suk·kaṯ suk·kō·wṯ suk·kōṯ sukKah sukkāh sukKat sukkaṯ sukkaTo sukkāṯōw sukKot sukkōṯ sukkōwṯ ū·ḵə·suk·kāh uchesukKah ūḵəsukkāh vassukKah vassukKot vesukKah wə·suk·kāh wəsukkāhLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 33:17 HEB: וּלְמִקְנֵ֙הוּ֙ עָשָׂ֣ה סֻכֹּ֔ת עַל־ כֵּ֛ן NAS: and made booths for his livestock; KJV: and made booths for his cattle: INT: his livestock and made booths and after that Leviticus 23:34 Leviticus 23:42 Leviticus 23:42 Leviticus 23:43 Deuteronomy 16:13 Deuteronomy 16:16 Deuteronomy 31:10 2 Samuel 11:11 2 Samuel 22:12 1 Kings 20:12 1 Kings 20:16 2 Chronicles 8:13 Ezra 3:4 Nehemiah 8:14 Nehemiah 8:15 Nehemiah 8:16 Nehemiah 8:17 Nehemiah 8:17 Job 27:18 Job 36:29 Job 38:40 Psalm 18:11 Psalm 31:20 Isaiah 1:8 31 Occurrences |
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