Deuteronomy 26:1-11

Good News Translation

Harvest Offerings

26 “After you have occupied the land that the Lord your God is giving you and have settled there, ^2 (A)each of you must place in a basket the first part of each crop that you harvest and you must take it with you to the one place of worship. ³ Go to the priest in charge at that time and say to him, ‘I now acknowledge to the Lord my God that I have entered the land that he promised our ancestors to give us.’

⁴ “The priest will take the basket from you and place it before the altar of the Lord your God. ⁵ Then, in the Lord's presence you will recite these words: ‘My ancestor was a wandering Aramean, who took his family to Egypt to live. They were few in number when they went there, but they became a large and powerful nation. ⁶ The Egyptians treated us harshly and forced us to work as slaves. ⁷ Then we cried out for help to the Lord, the God of our ancestors. He heard us and saw our suffering, hardship, and misery. ⁸ By his great power and strength he rescued us from Egypt. He worked miracles and wonders, and caused terrifying things to happen. ⁹ He brought us here and gave us this rich and fertile land. ¹⁰ So now I bring to the Lord the first part of the harvest that he has given me.’

“Then set the basket down in the Lord's presence and worship there. ¹¹ Be grateful for the good things that the Lord your God has given you and your family; and let the Levites and the foreigners who live among you join in the celebration.