Deuteronomy 26
World English Bible
WEB1It 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, keep his statutes, 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, 2020 stable text edition. Public domain; “World English Bible” is a trademark of eBible.org. eBible.org
Overview
Deuteronomy Chapter 26 presents a significant moment in the life of the Israelites as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. This chapter outlines the instructions for the people regarding the offering of the firstfruits and the tithe, emphasizing the importance of gratitude and remembrance of God's faithfulness. The Israelites are commanded to bring the firstfruits of their harvest to the place where the Lord chooses to dwell, acknowledging that all blessings come from Him. This act of offering is a public declaration of their dependence on God and a recognition of His provision, as seen in verses 1-11. The act of presenting the firstfruits is not just a ritual; it is a heartfelt expression of thankfulness for the land and the blessings they have received, reminding them of their journey from slavery in Egypt to freedom in the Promised Land.
The chapter continues with the command to set aside a tithe every third year for the Levites, the foreigners, the orphans, and the widows (verses 12-15). This practice reinforces the community's responsibility to care for those in need, reflecting God's justice and mercy. The Israelites are reminded to declare their obedience to God's commands and to rejoice in the blessings they have received. The chapter concludes with a call to the people to affirm their commitment to God and His covenant, highlighting the importance of living in accordance with His laws as they establish themselves in the land. This chapter serves as a powerful reminder of the need for gratitude, generosity, and faithfulness in the life of a believer.
Overall, Deuteronomy 26 emphasizes the themes of #thankfulness, #obedience, and #community, encouraging the Israelites to remember their past and to live in a way that honors God as they move forward into their new life in the Promised Land.
Topics in this chapter
- Firstfruits
- Covenant
- Gratitude
- Provision
- Deliverance
- Obedience
- Faithfulness
- Identity in Christ
- Holiness
- Thanksgiving
- Tithes
- Blessing
- Community
- Compassion
- Confession
- Exodus
- Justice
- Leadership in the Bible
- Moses
- Offering
- Promised Land
- Social Justice
- Testimony
- Worship
- Beginnings
- Biblical Mandate
- Care for the Needy
- Care for the Needy
- Care for the Poor
- Chosen People
- Commitment
- Confession of Faith
- Divine Providence
- Egypt
- Faith
- Generosity
- God's Power
- God's Promises
- God's Provision
- Harvest
- Heritage
- Inheritance
- Israel
- Israelites
- Mediator
- Mercy
- Offerings
- Priest
- Prophet
- Providence
- Purpose
- Remembrance
- Repentance
- Responsibility
- Righteousness
- Tithing
Related chapters
- Leviticus 23FirstfruitsHarvestOffering
- Exodus 23ExodusIsraelites
- Exodus 19Chosen PeopleExodusMediator
- Exodus 12PriestExodusIsraelites
- James 1FirstfruitsGod's ProvisionDivine Providence
- Numbers 18TithesTithingOfferings
- Deuteronomy 16TithesFirstfruitsHarvest
- Deuteronomy 28Chosen PeopleIsraelitesEgypt
- Exodus 16God's ProvisionPriestExodus
- Leviticus 27TithesTithingOfferings
- Nehemiah 10TithesTithingFirstfruits
- Numbers 15OfferingsOfferingChosen People
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