1 The confession of him that offers the basket of first fruits. 12 The prayer of him that gives his third year’s tithes. 16 The covenant between God and the people.
Deu 26:1 When you have entered the land the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance and have taken possession of it and settled in it,
Settled in the Holy Land. This form of expression has already been used several times (ch. 17:14).
Deu 26:2 take some of the first fruits of all that you produce from the soil of the land the LORD your God is giving you and put them in a basket. Then go to the place the LORD your God will choose as a dwelling for his Name
On the law of first fruits see Num. 18:12; Deut. 18:4.
The place. A portion of the first ripe fruits was to be taken in a basket, brought to the sanctuary, and given to the priest on duty.
Deu 26:3 and say to the priest in office at the time, “I declare today to the LORD your God that I have come to the land the LORD swore to our ancestors to give us.”
This is, at the time of the three great feasts (Ex. 23:14–16). In later times the worshipers were to bring their offerings to the Temple in Jerusalem for these feasts, praising God in His sanctuary. With confession of sin and grateful prayer they were to acknowledge God’s goodness in bringing them out of Egyptian bondage into the Promised Land.
Deu 26:4 The priest shall take the basket from your hands and set it down in front of the altar of the LORD your God.
The priest waved the basket and placed it before the Lord, in acknowledgment of His ownership of the land. This ceremony was to be one of joy in God, as the Giver of harvest, peace, and prosperity.
The principle of returning to God a portion of the blessings received from Him is one stated by the apostle Paul for Christians to emulate (1 Cor. 16:2; 2 Cor. 8:7–9).
Deu 26:5 Then you shall declare before the LORD your God: “My father was a wandering Aramean, and he went down into Egypt with a few people and lived there and became a great nation, powerful and numerous.
This is a reference to the humble origin of the nation, to Rebekah and Leah, who were from Padan-aram (Gen. 25:20), and to Jacob, who spent several years there (Gen. 29 to 31).
Laban, Jacob’s uncle, was designated as “the Syrian,” literally “the Aramean” (Gen. 25:20; 28:5, 6; 31:20, 24). The expression translated “ready to perish” was used of animals that strayed and became lost (Deut. 22:3; 1 Sam. 9:3, 20), and of men lost (Ps. 119:176) and in danger of perishing (Job 6:18).
The nomadic origin of Israel is the point to which Moses refers here.
Down into Egypt. See Gen. 46:26; 47:4 for the journey to Egypt and for their fewness in number at that time.
A nation. See Ex. 1:7, 9, 12, 20. Jacob is pictured as a Syrian or Aramean, in part because of his long residence in northern Mesopotamia, whence Abraham had come to Canaan (Gen. 11:31). From this small beginning emerged a great nation. The presentation of the first fruits commemorated the deliverance of the first-born from Egypt.
Deu 26:6 But the Egyptians mistreated us and made us suffer, subjecting us to harsh labor.
Mistreated us. The blessing of God that cause them to increase so rapidly, became also the reason for severe persecution by the Egyptians (Ex. 1:9–14; cf. Num. 20:15).
Deu 26:7 Then we cried out to the LORD, the God of our ancestors, and the LORD heard our voice and saw our misery, toil and oppression.
The Lord heard. See Ex. 2:23–25; 3:7–9; 4:31; Num. 20:16.
Deu 26:8 So the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great terror and with signs and wonders.
Deu 26:9 He brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey;
Milk and honey. See on Ex. 3:8; see also Deut. 6:3.
Deu 26:10 and now I bring the first fruits of the soil that you, LORD, have given me.” Place the basket before the LORD your God and bow down before him.
The acknowledgement of God’s gracious mercies is a vital part of worship. He is a covenant-keeping God who faithfully carries out His promises. His people can scarcely do less than express their appreciation for His faithfulness.
Bow down. Prostrate (Gen. 37:10; Ex. 11:8; Lev. 26:1; Isa. 60:14).
Deu 26:11 Then you and the Levites and the foreigners residing among you shall rejoice in all the good things the LORD your God has given to you and your household.
There was to be feasting and rejoicing at the time of offering the first fruits. Not only the immediate family but Levites, neighbors, and strangers might be invited to share in the bounties of heaven (mentioned in chs. 12:6, 7; 16:10–12).
Deu 26:12 When you have finished setting aside a tenth of all your produce in the third year, the year of the tithe, you shall give it to the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow, so that they may eat in your towns and be satisfied.
In the third year a “tithe” was to be given to the local poor (see on ch. 14:28, 29), in addition to that always paid to the Levites. God did not forget the less fortunate, nor should His people do so.
They may eat.
The legalist or moralist might speak of the poor as suffering on account of their own shortcomings. It is true, of course, that not all are as careful, energetic, or diligent as they might be. But if they are in need they are not to be passed by on that account.
God deliberately placed the Levites in a position of dependence on their brothers, as a challenge to the liberality of Israel.
Deu 26:13 Then say to the LORD your God: “I have removed from my house the sacred portion and have given it to the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow, according to all you commanded. I have not turned aside from your commands nor have I forgotten any of them.
I have removed. Such a confession of duty fulfilled was to be a yearly privilege. The poor, with the Levite, were to be provided for. The offeror affirmed that God’s claims on him had been fully met, that the “tithe” had been dutifully paid as designated by God, to be applied in harmony with His instructions.
If the “tithe” remained in a private home, that home was in debt to God. He could not bless that family until the debt had been discharged in full.
Deu 26:14 I have not eaten any of the sacred portion while I was in mourning, nor have I removed any of it while I was unclean, nor have I offered any of it to the dead. I have obeyed the LORD my God; I have done everything you commanded me.
I was mourning. Probably in connection with ceremonial uncleanness for the dead (see Lev. 7:20; 21:1; cf. Hosea 9:4). Various circumstances might produce uncleanness, and thereby “mourning,” rendering it impossible for that person to appear before God with rejoicing.
Not only would the person involved be ceremonially unclean, but the consecrated things themselves would become unclean if he partook of them while in his “unclean” state (see on Deut. 14:23–26). For any unclean use. Or, “while I was unclean” he would not deliberately put the “tithe” to an “unclean” use.
From ancient times the heathen believed that the dead could be made happy by gifts of food and other things of which they might be in need. It is noteworthy that the Hebrew religion not only made no provision for such rites, but, as here, specifically excluded them. In heathen lands the custom of placing food at the grave of the deceased as a gift to his “spirit” (see Tobit 4:17; Ecclus. 30:18) is still practiced, as in India and China.
Perhaps the expenses incident to a funeral were heavy, and the temptation to use part of the “tithe” in meeting these expenses would in all probability not be uncommon.
Deu 26:15 Look down from heaven, your holy dwelling place, and bless your people Israel and the land you have given us as you promised on oath to our ancestors, a land flowing with milk and honey.”
Look down. A plea for God’s gracious regard. It is, as well, a devout acknowledgement of the exalted position of God, far above all human habitation, and of the fact that all blessings are from Him. Compare the words of David before the congregation (1 Chron. 29:11–13). See also 2 Chron. 30:27; Isa. 63:15; Jer. 25:30; Zech. 2:13.
Bless your people. The word thus translated means “to kneel.” One derived noun means “knee,” and another, “a blessing.” The expression “bless God” presents the picture of worship to God on bended knee.
Promised on oath. A grateful acknowledgement of God’s unswerving loyalty to His covenant and faithfulness to all His promises. Not only is He able to fulfill His promises, but it is impossible that He could ever fall short of perfection in carrying them out (see v. 3, also chs. 1:8; 6:3).
Deu 26:16 The LORD your God commands you this day to follow these decrees and laws; carefully observe them with all your heart and with all your soul.
Commands. The various words used in this text comprehend all the requirements God made of His people, in respect to not only religious duties but also civil and social. Moses refers to their stay “in the valley over against Beth-peor” (ch. 3:29), where he presented to the people all the laws that had been revealed to him in Horeb.
Here begins a solemn charge to all the people. It is a reminder that they had entered in a covenant relation with God, that in so doing they had assumed the most solemn obligations.
And on His part He promised to bless them. Keep and do them. Their part in the solemn covenant. This is a call to sincerity of life with respect to the covenant relationship (see chs. 4:6; 7:12).
Deu 26:17 You have declared this day that the LORD is your God and that you will walk in obedience to him, that you will keep his decrees, commands and laws—that you will listen to him.
In Hebrew the statement introduced is most emphatic:
Deu 26:17 Deu 26:18 And the LORD has declared this day that you are his people, his treasured possession as he promised, and that you are to keep all his commands. Deu 26:18 And the LORD has declared this day that you are his people, his treasured possession as he promised, and that you are to keep all his commands. .
This was accomplished by Israel listening to the recitation of all the requirements of the covenant, and acknowledging their own obligation to abide by them.
Deu 26:18 And the LORD has declared this day that you are his people, his treasured possession as he promised, and that you are to keep all his commands.
his parallels the emphatic expression of v. 17. It reads, literally, “God
has this day caused you to say that you are to Him a people of possession,” that is, His own private possession. Peculiar people. See on Ex. 19:5; 1 Peter 2:9.
The same Hebrew word here translated “peculiar” appears also in Ex. 19:5; Deut. 7:6. In 1 Chron. 29:3 the word is translated “own proper good”; and in Mal. 3:17, “jewels.”
Promised. Both parties assumed obligations. The covenant was mutual, and the promise, as at Sinai, was conditional Ex. 19:5–8; 24:3, 7.
Deu 26:19 He has declared that he will set you in praise, fame and honor high above all the nations he has made and that you will be a people holy to the LORD your God, as he promised.
High above. See Deut. 28:1 and on Gen. 17:1. The adjective here translated “high” is one of the names of God (see Gen. 14:18-20, 22; Num. 24:16; Deut. 32:8; 2 Sam. 22:14; Ps. 9:2; Isa. 14:14). In the divine purpose the name of the Most High is placed upon God’s people (Num. 6:27).
Honour. The word thus translated is from the verb “to beautify,” “to glorify.” The derived noun means “turban,” “headdress,” originally, an “ornament.” For other instances of the translation of the same word see Isa. 46:13; 62:3.
Note the inward significance of this as expressed by Christ (John 17:10), and its application as touching the church today, as commented on by the apostle Peter (1 Peter 2:9, 10). Thus closes the so-called Book of the Covenant, and with it, Moses’ second oration.