Deuteronomy 26
Read Deuteronomy 26 (WEB)+
1It shall be, when you have come in to the land which Yahweh your God gives you for an inheritance, possess it, and dwell in it, 2that you shall take some of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you shall bring in from your land that Yahweh your God gives you. You shall put it in a basket, and shall go to the place which Yahweh your God shall choose, to cause his name to dwell there. 3You shall come to the priest who shall be in those days, and tell him, “I profess today to Yahweh your God, that I have come to the land which Yahweh swore to our fathers to give us.” 4The priest shall take the basket out of your hand, and set it down before Yahweh your God’s altar. 5You shall answer and say before Yahweh your God, “My father was a Syrian ready to perish. He went down into Egypt, and lived there, few in number. There he became a great, mighty, and populous nation. 6The Egyptians mistreated us, afflicted us, and imposed hard labor on us. 7Then we cried to Yahweh, the God of our fathers. Yahweh heard our voice, and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. 8Yahweh brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand, with an outstretched arm, with great terror, with signs, and with wonders; 9and he has brought us into this place, and has given us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. 10Now, behold, I have brought the first of the fruit of the ground, which you, Yahweh, have given me.” You shall set it down before Yahweh your God, and worship before Yahweh your God. 11You shall rejoice in all the good which Yahweh your God has given to you, and to your house, you, and the Levite, and the foreigner who is among you. 12When you have finished tithing all the tithe of your increase in the third year, which is the year of tithing, then you shall give it to the Levite, to the foreigner, to the fatherless, and to the widow, that they may eat within your gates, and be filled. 13You shall say before Yahweh your God, “I have put away the holy things out of my house, and also have given them to the Levite, to the foreigner, to the fatherless, and to the widow, according to all your commandment which you have commanded me. I have not transgressed any of your commandments, neither have I forgotten them. 14I have not eaten of it in my mourning, neither have I removed any of it while I was unclean, nor given of it for the dead. I have listened to Yahweh my God’s voice. I have done according to all that you have commanded me. 15Look down from your holy habitation, from heaven, and bless your people Israel, and the ground which you have given us, as you swore to our fathers, a land flowing with milk and honey.” 16Today Yahweh your God commands you to do these statutes and ordinances. You shall therefore keep and do them with all your heart and with all your soul. 17You have declared today that Yahweh is your God, and that you would walk in his ways, and keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his ordinances, and listen to his voice. 18Yahweh has declared today that you are a people for his own possession, as he has promised you, and that you should keep all his commandments. 19He will make you high above all nations that he has made, in praise, in name, and in honor; and that you may be a holy people to Yahweh your God, as he has spoken.
World English Bible (public domain)
“And you shall make response before the Lord your God, ‘A wandering Aramean was my father, and he went down into Egypt and sojourned there, few in number, and there he became a nation, great, mighty, and populous.’”
Deuteronomy 26:5
Summary
Deuteronomy chapter 26 presents a pivotal moment in Israel's history as the people prepare to enter the Promised Land. This chapter outlines specific instructions for presenting the first fruits of the harvest as an act of gratitude and acknowledgment of God's provision. The Israelites are instructed to take the first produce from the land and bring it to the sanctuary, where they are to recite a declaration of their history and faith. This practice serves not only as a form of worship but also as a reminder of God's faithfulness, particularly during their time in Egypt and the subsequent deliverance from slavery. In this chapter, there is a focus on the themes of remembrance, gratitude, and the communal aspects of faith. The Israelites are reminded of their identity as a chosen people who have experienced God’s covenant love. As they make their offerings, they also share their story with the priest, reinforcing the importance of remembering where they came from and how they have been blessed. This act of remembrance is designed to cultivate a spirit of gratitude and reliance on God for all their needs. The theological significance of Deuteronomy 26 lies in the concept of stewardship and the call to remember God’s acts of salvation and provision. The chapter prompts believers to reflect on their own lives and recognize how they have been blessed. The act of giving the first fruits is a tangible expression of worship and an acknowledgment that all good things come from God. It reinforces the idea that faith is not just individual but communal, as the people gather to celebrate their heritage and God’s faithfulness together.
Key Themes
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