Deuteronomy 26:13
in Deuteronomy 26Then you shall declare in the presence of 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 the commandments You have given me. I have not transgressed or forgotten Your commandments.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And thou shalt say before Jehovah thy God, I have put away the hallowed things out of my house, and also have given them unto the Levite, and unto the sojourner, to the fatherless, and to the widow, according to all thy commandment which thou hast commanded me: I have not transgressed any of thy commandments, neither have I forgotten them:
KJV
Then thou shalt say before the Lord thy God, I have brought away the hallowed things out of mine house, and also have given them unto the Levite, and unto the stranger, to the fatherless, and to the widow, according to all thy commandments which thou hast commanded me: I have not transgressed thy commandments, neither have I forgotten them:
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This verse in Deuteronomy 26
Commentary
7 notes on this verseA commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
The first was appropriated to the Levites (Nu 18:21). The second, being the tenth of what remained, was brought to Jerusalem in kind; or it was converted into money, and the owner, on arriving in the capital, purchased sheep, bread, and oil (De 14:22, 23).
This site's exposition
When thou hast made an end of tithing
on Deuteronomy 26:12-13
The third year tithe goes to the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless and the widow, and is eaten inside a man's own gates rather than at the chosen place, which is the law of 14:28-29. How many tithes Israel actually paid is an old dispute: Clarke reads one tithe diverted to the poor every third year, Jamieson, Fausset and Brown read a second tithe distinct from the Levites' portion of Numbers 18:21, and Josephus in the Antiquities counts three. Gill gives the rabbinic reckoning from Maimonides, that the tithing of the third year was finished at the passover. The declaration attached to it ends on forgetting, which is the failure this book names more than any other.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
Before the Lord - In thy private addresses to God; for this is to be said presently upon the distribution of these tithes, which was not done at Jerusalem, but in their own private gates or dwellings. And this is to be spoken before the Lord, that is, solemnly, seriously, and in a religious manner, with due respect to God's presence, and will, and glory.
The Jews say that this protestation of their integrity was to be made with a low voice, because it looked like a self-commendation, but that the foregoing confession of God's goodness was to be made with a loud voice to his glory. He that durst not make this protestation must bring his trespass-offering, Lev. v. 15 . To this solemn protestation they must add a solemn prayer (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
Then thou shalt say before the Lord thy God,....
It is fit that God, who by his providence gives us all we have, should by his law direct the using of it, and, though we are not now under such particular appropriations of our revenue as they then were, yet, in general, we are commanded to give alms of such things as we have; and then, and not otherwise, all things are clean to us.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
thou shalt say before the Lord thy God, I have brought away the hallowed things out of mine house--This was a solemn declaration that nothing which should be devoted to the divine service had been secretly reserved for personal use.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
Even though the avowal. The “avowal was recited at the time of the Afternoon Offering on the last day of Passover, in the fourth and seventh years of the Sabbatical cycle.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 5 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
23 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְאָמַרְתָּ֡ | veamarta | and you will say | H559 → | 5305 times |
| לִפְנֵי֩ | lifnei | <to> before | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| יְהוָ֨ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ | ʾeloheikha | God your | H430 → | 2601 times |
| בִּעַ֧רְתִּי | biarti | I have removed | H1197 → | 94 times |
| הַקֹּ֣דֶשׁ | hakodesh | the holy thing | H6944 → | 469 times |
| מִן־ | min- | from | H4480 → | 1188 times |
| הַבַּ֗יִת | habayit | the house | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| וְגַ֨ם | vegam | and also | H1571 → | 769 times |
| נְתַתִּ֤יו | netativ | I have given it | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| לַלֵּוִי֙ | lalevi | to the Levite | H3881 → | 291 times |
| וְלַגֵּר֙ | velager | and to the sojourner | H1616 → | 92 times |
| לַיָּת֣וֹם | laiyatom | to the fatherless one | H3490 → | 42 times |
| וְלָאַלְמָנָ֔ה | velaalmanah | and to the widow | H490 → | 56 times |
| כְּכָל־ | kekhol- | according to all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| מִצְוָתְךָ֖ | mitzvatekha | commandment your | H4687 → | 181 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֣ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| צִוִּיתָ֑נִי | tzivitani | you have commanded me | H6680 → | 494 times |
| לֹֽא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| עָבַ֥רְתִּי | ʾavarti | I have transgressed | H5674 → | 556 times |
| מִמִּצְוֹתֶ֖יךָ | mimitzvoteikha | any of commandments your | H4687 → | 181 times |
| וְלֹ֥א | velo' | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| שָׁכָֽחְתִּי׃ | shakhacheti | I have forgotten [them] | H7911 → | 102 times |
וְאָמַרְתָּ֡and you will say
veamartaH559 →5305 times
לִפְנֵי֩<to> before
lifneiH6440 →2123 times
יְהוָ֨הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָGod your
ʾeloheikhaH430 →2601 times
בִּעַ֧רְתִּיI have removed
biartiH1197 →94 times
הַקֹּ֣דֶשׁthe holy thing
hakodeshH6944 →469 times
מִן־from
min-H4480 →1188 times
הַבַּ֗יִתthe house
habayitH1004 →2046 times
וְגַ֨םand also
vegamH1571 →769 times
נְתַתִּ֤יוI have given it
netativH5414 →2011 times
לַלֵּוִי֙to the Levite
laleviH3881 →291 times
וְלַגֵּר֙and to the sojourner
velagerH1616 →92 times
לַיָּת֣וֹםto the fatherless one
laiyatomH3490 →42 times
וְלָאַלְמָנָ֔הand to the widow
velaalmanahH490 →56 times
כְּכָל־according to all
kekhol-H3605 →5413 times
מִצְוָתְךָ֖commandment your
mitzvatekhaH4687 →181 times
אֲשֶׁ֣רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
צִוִּיתָ֑נִיyou have commanded me
tzivitaniH6680 →494 times
לֹֽא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
עָבַ֥רְתִּיI have transgressed
ʾavartiH5674 →556 times
מִמִּצְוֹתֶ֖יךָany of commandments your
mimitzvoteikhaH4687 →181 times
וְלֹ֥אand not
velo'H3808 →5168 times
שָׁכָֽחְתִּי׃I have forgotten [them]
shakhachetiH7911 →102 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 119:176I have strayed like a lost sheep; seek Your servant, for I have not forgotten Your commandments.
it leads to
- Luke 19:10
For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
- Isaiah 53:6
We all like sheep have gone astray, each one has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all.
- Luke 15:4–7
“What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the pasture and go after the one that is lost, until he finds…
- John 10:16
I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them in as well, and they will listen to My voice. Then there will be one flock and one shepherd.
- 1 Peter 2:25
For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
- Luke 19:10
Through
Psalms 119:141I am lowly and despised, but I do not forget Your precepts.
it leads to
- Psalms 22:6
But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people.
- 2 Corinthians 8:9
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.
- Psalms 22:6
Through
Deuteronomy 14:29Then the Levite (because he has no portion or inheritance among you), the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow within your gates may come and eat and be satisfied. And the LORD your God…
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 15:10
Give generously to him, and do not let your heart be grieved when you do so. And because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything…
- Deuteronomy 15:10
About Deuteronomy
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.