Deuteronomychapter 26

19 verses · ASV

This chapter sends 260 cross-references outward and receives 161 — heaviest partner: Deuteronomy.

Chapter summary

The confession at the firstfruits. The Israelite shall take of the first of all the fruit of the earth, put it in a basket, come to the place the LORD shall choose, and recite before the priest the little creed: ‘A Syrian ready to perish was my father, and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there … and the Egyptians evil entreated us … and we cried unto the LORD God of our fathers … and the LORD brought us forth out of Egypt … and he hath brought us into this place, and hath given us this land, even a land that floweth with milk and honey’. The third-year tithe testified — none to the dead, none unclean. ‘This day the LORD hath avouched thee to be his peculiar people’.

Drafted from Matthew Henry, Calvin, Gill, Clarke, JFB, and Barnes.

Context

Law · Moses — see the Deuteronomy overview for the book's full setting.

1 And it shall be, when thou art come in unto the land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and possessest it, and dwellest therein,

2 that thou shalt take of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which thou shalt bring in from thy land that Jehovah thy God giveth thee; and thou shalt put it in a basket, and shalt go unto the place which Jehovah thy God shall choose, to cause his name to dwell there.

3 And thou shalt come unto the priest that shall be in those days, and say unto him, I profess this day unto Jehovah thy God, that I am come unto the land which Jehovah sware unto our fathers to give us.

4 And the priest shall take the basket out of thy hand, and set it down before the altar of Jehovah thy God.

5 And thou shalt answer and say before Jehovah thy God, A Syrian ready to perish was my father; and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there, few in number; and he became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous.

6 And the Egyptians dealt ill with us, and afflicted us, and laid upon us hard bondage:

7 and we cried unto Jehovah, the God of our fathers, and Jehovah heard our voice, and saw our affliction, and our toil, and our oppression;

8 and Jehovah brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with great terribleness, and with signs, and with wonders;

9 and he hath brought us into this place, and hath given us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey.