Deuteronomy 26
Christian Standard Bible
Giving the Firstfruits
26 “When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance,(A) and you take possession of it and live in it, 2 take some of the first of all the land’s produce that you harvest from the land the Lord your God is giving you and put it in a basket. Then go to the place where the Lord your God chooses to have his name dwell.(B) 3 When you come before the priest who is serving at that time, say to him, ‘Today I declare to the Lord your[a] God that I have entered the land the Lord swore to our ancestors to give us.’
4 “Then the priest will take the basket from you and place it before the altar of the Lord your God. 5 You are to respond by saying in the presence of the Lord your God:
My father was a wandering Aramean.(C) He went down to Egypt with a few people and resided there as an alien.(D) There he became a great, powerful, and populous nation. 6 But the Egyptians mistreated and oppressed us, and forced us to do hard labor. 7 So we called out to the Lord, the God of our ancestors, and the Lord heard our cry and saw our misery, hardship, and oppression.(E) 8 Then the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, with terrifying power, and with signs and wonders. 9 He led us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey.(F) 10 I have now brought the first of the land’s produce that you, Lord, have given me.
You will then place the container before the Lord your God and bow down to him. 11 You, the Levites, and the resident aliens among you will rejoice(G) in all the good things the Lord your God has given you and your household.
The Tenth in the Third Year
12 “When you have finished paying all the tenth of your produce in the third year,(H) the year of the tenth, you are to give it to the Levites, resident aliens, fatherless children, and widows, so that they may eat in your towns and be satisfied. 13 Then you will say in the presence of the Lord your God:
I have taken the consecrated portion out of my house; I have also given it to the Levites, resident aliens, fatherless children, and widows, according to all the commands you gave me. I have not violated or forgotten your commands. 14 I have not eaten any of it while in mourning, or removed any of it while unclean, or offered any of it for the dead.(I) I have obeyed the Lord my God; I have done all you commanded me. 15 Look down from your holy dwelling, from heaven, and bless your people Israel and the land you have given us as you swore to our ancestors, a land flowing with milk and honey.
Covenant Summary
16 “The Lord your God is commanding you this day to follow these statutes and ordinances. Follow them carefully with all your heart and all your soul. 17 Today you have affirmed that the Lord is your God and that you will walk in his ways, keep his statutes, commands, and ordinances, and obey him. 18 And today the Lord has affirmed that you are his own possession as he promised you, that you are to keep all his commands, 19 that he will elevate you to praise, fame, and glory above all the nations he has made, and that you will be a holy people(J) to the Lord your God as he promised.”
Footnotes
- 26:3 LXX reads my
Deuteronomy 26
International Standard Version
Gift of the First Produce
26 “When you arrive in the land that the Lord your God is about to give you as an inheritance, take possession of it and settle in it. 2 Gather all the first produce of the ground that you harvest from your land that the Lord your God is about to give you, place it in a basket, and bring it to the place where the Lord your God will choose to establish his name. 3 Approach the priest who is in charge at that time and say to him, ‘I acknowledge today to the Lord your[a] God that I’ve arrived in the land that the Lord promised our ancestors to give us.’ 4 Then the priest will take the basket from you[b] and place it in front of the altar of the Lord your God. 5 Then you are to affirm and declare in the presence of the Lord your God:
‘A wandering Aramean was my ancestor, who went down to Egypt and traveled there with very few family members,[c] yet there he became a great, powerful, and populous nation. 6 But the Egyptians oppressed us, afflicted us, and assigned us to hard labor. 7 So we cried out to the Lord God of our ancestors, and he[d] heard our cries and observed our affliction, trouble, and oppression. 8 The Lord brought us out of Egypt with his awesome power,[e] with great terror, signs, and wonders. 9 And then we arrived at this place, and he gave this land to us, flowing with milk and honey. 10 Now, look—I brought the first produce of the land that you, Lord, have given me.’
Then set it in the presence of the Lord your God and worship him.[f] 11 Rejoice with the descendants of Levi and the foreigner among you at all the good things that the Lord your God has given you and your family.”
Levitical Tithes
12 “When you have finished your harvest, reserve the tithe in the third year (the year of the tithe), and give the entire tithe to the descendants of Levi, to the foreigners, to the orphans, and to the widows, so they may eat and be satisfied in your cities. 13 Then declare in the presence of the Lord your God:
‘I’ve removed the holy offering from my house and given it to the descendants of Levi, to the foreigners, to the orphans, and to the widows just as you have commanded me. I haven’t violated or forgotten your commands. 14 I haven’t eaten any part of it while mourning, nor removed any part of it while unclean, nor offered any of it to the dead. I’ve obeyed the voice of the Lord my God and did all that he commanded me. 15 Look down from your holy habitation in heaven and bless your people Israel and the land that you have given us, just as you promised our ancestors—a land flowing with milk and honey.’”
Living for the Glory of God
16 “The Lord your God is commanding you this very day to observe these statutes and judgments. Be careful to obey them with all your heart and soul. 17 You have declared this very day that the Lord will be your God. You are to walk in his ways, keep his statutes, commands, and judgments, and obey his voice. 18 The Lord affirmed this day that you are his prized possession. Therefore, observe his commands, 19 so he may elevate you far above all the nations that he has made. Then you will live to the praise, fame, and glory of God,[g] and so be a nation that is holy to the Lord your God, as he has promised.”
Footnotes
- Deuteronomy 26:3 So MT; LXX reads my
- Deuteronomy 26:4 Lit. your hand
- Deuteronomy 26:5 The Heb. lacks family members
- Deuteronomy 26:7 Lit. the Lord
- Deuteronomy 26:8 Lit. his mighty hand and outstretched arm
- Deuteronomy 26:10 Lit. worship before the Lord your God
- Deuteronomy 26:19 The Heb. lacks of God
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