Deuteronomy 26

Deuteronomy 26:1 “When you enter the land Yahveh your God is giving you as an inheritance, and you take possession of it and stay in it,

Deuteronomy 26:2 take some of the first of all the land’s produce that you harvest from the land Yahveh your God is giving you and place it in a basket. Then go to the place where Yahveh, your God, chooses to have his name dwell.

Deuteronomy 26:3 When you come before the priest who is serving at that time, say to him, ‘Today I declare to Yahveh your God that I have entered the land Yahveh swore to our fathers to give us.’

Deuteronomy 26:4 “Then the priest will take the basket from you and place it before the altar of Yahveh your God.

Deuteronomy 26:5 You are to answer by saying in the presence of Yahveh your God: My father was a lost Aramean. He went down to Egypt with a few people and was there as a guest. There, he became a great, powerful, and populous nation.

Deuteronomy 26:6 But the Egyptians mistreated and humiliated us and forced us to do hard labor.

Deuteronomy 26:7 So we called out to Yahveh, the God of our fathers, and Yahveh heard our cry and saw our misery, hardship, and oppression.

Deuteronomy 26:8 Then Yahveh brought us out of Egypt with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, with terrifying power, and with signs and wonders.

Deuteronomy 26:9 He led us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey.

Deuteronomy 26:10 Notice I have now brought the first of the land’s produce that you, Lord, have given me. You will then place the container before Yahveh, your God, and bow down to him.

Deuteronomy 26:11 You, the Levites, and the guests among you will enjoy all the good things Yahveh, your God, has given you and your household.

Deuteronomy 26:12 “When you have finished paying all the tenth of your produce in the third year, the year of the tenth, you are to give it to the Levites, guests, fatherless children and widows, so that they may eat in your towns and be satisfied.

Deuteronomy 26:13 Then you will say in the presence of Yahveh your God: I have taken the consecrated portion out of my house; I have also given it to the Levites, guests, fatherless children, and widows, according to all the commands you commanded me. I have not violated or forgotten your commands.

Deuteronomy 26:14 I have not eaten any of it while in mourning, or removed any of it while contaminated, or offered any of it for the dead. I have obeyed Yahveh, my God; I have done all you commanded me.

Deuteronomy 26:15 Look down from your holy dwelling, from the sky, and empower your people Israel and the land you have given us as you swore to our fathers, a land flowing with milk and honey.

Deuteronomy 26:16 “Yahveh your God is commanding you this day to do these prescriptions and rules. Do them carefully with all your heart and all your throat.

Deuteronomy 26:17 Today you have affirmed that Yahveh is your God and that you will walk in his ways, watch his prescriptions, commands, and rules, and obey him.

Deuteronomy 26:18 And today Yahveh has affirmed that you are his possession as he promised you, that you are to watch all his commands,

Deuteronomy 26:19 that he will elevate you to praise, fame, and glory above all the nations he has made, and that you will be a sacred people to Yahveh your God as he promised.”

Deuteronomy 26 quotes:

“The key to understanding chapter 26 is its position in Deuteronomy (McConville 2002: 384). Within the structure of the book, with its resemblance to both treaty and law code, it rounds off the long section of laws. But in a treaty-like manner, and also in a pattern similar to that of the Book of the Covenant (Exod. 20:22 – 23:19; cf. 24:7), the section from chapter 12 to 26 begins with worship, and ends with worship at the chosen place with the bringing of firstfruits, thus fulfilling the command in 12:5–7, 11–13. But only here in Deuteronomy do we hear the voice of the loyal worshipper in terms of a liturgical-style credo before Yahweh at the sanctuary. This credo rehearses Israel’s pain, oppression, homelessness and slave status in Egypt, resulting in Yahweh hearing their cry and finally bringing them into a place where they may live safely and securely (v. 9). However, this brings with it the responsibility of drawing the homeless within their midst into a place of celebration and belonging (v. 11), which is also related to the third-year tithe (v. 12). This tithe (called the sacred portion) must not be absorbed into the ever-present cult of the dead (v. 14), but must be faithfully dispensed to the ‘living’ and marginalized of Israel (v. 13). The passage concludes with a command to carefully keep the decrees and laws (v. 16), forming a bracket with 11:32 – 12:1, followed by words of covenant ratification (vv. 17–19) in which Yahweh exists as ‘God for Israel’, and Israel exists as ‘people for him’.”

Woods, Edward J.. Deuteronomy: An Introduction and Commentary (Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries Book 5) . InterVarsity Press. Kindle Edition.

“Whereas the main substance of the specific stipulations (Deut. 12–26) anticipates the continuing future life of Israel in the promised land, the legislation contained in 26:1–15 relates to two particular ceremonies which were to be held as soon as Israel had taken possession of the land and begun its new (agricultural) style of life. In this sense, 26:1–15 follows naturally from 25:17–19, which also refers to particular action to be taken once the land had been possessed; it precedes naturally the legislation of 27:1–26, in which the particular renewal of the covenant in the vicinity of Shechem is commanded, to be undertaken after the crossing of the Jordan and the initial stages of the conquest.”

Craigie, Peter C.. The Book of Deuteronomy (The New International Commentary on the Old Testament) (p. 319). Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.. Kindle Edition.