Deuteronomy 26

Confession Before the Priest Deuteronomy 26:3–5

³Verse 3. You 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.” ⁴Verse 4. The priest shall take the basket out of your hand, and set it down before Yahweh your God’s altar. ⁵Verse 5. You 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.

Remembering Oppression and Deliverance Deuteronomy 26:6–9

⁶Verse 6. The Egyptians mistreated us, afflicted us, and imposed hard labor on us. ⁷Verse 7. Then we cried to Yahweh, the God of our fathers. Yahweh heard our voice, and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. ⁸Verse 8. Yahweh brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand, with an outstretched arm, with great terror, with signs, and with wonders; ⁹Verse 9. and he has brought us into this place, and has given us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey.

Offering First Fruits with Joy Deuteronomy 26:10–11

¹⁰Verse 10. Now, 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. ¹¹Verse 11. You 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.

Tithing and Generosity Deuteronomy 26:12–14

¹²Verse 12. When 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. ¹³Verse 13. You 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.

¹⁴Verse 14. I 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.

Covenant Affirmation and Blessing Deuteronomy 26:15–19

¹⁵Verse 15. Look 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.” ¹⁶Verse 16. Today 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. ¹⁷Verse 17. You 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. ¹⁸Verse 18. Yahweh 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.

¹⁹Verse 19. He 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.