---
title: "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible -  Deuteronomy 26"
description: "CHAPTER 26   :-. THE
CONFESSION OF HIM
THAT OFFERS
THE BASKET OF FIRST
FRUITS. 2. Thou shalt take of the first of
all the fruit of the earth—The Israelite"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/deuteronomy/26"
---

CHAPTER 26

. THE
CONFESSION OF HIM
THAT OFFERS
THE BASKET OF FIRST
FRUITS.

**2. Thou shalt take of the first of
all the fruit of the earth**—The Israelites in Canaan, being
God's tenants-at-will, were required to give Him tribute in the form
of first-fruits and tithes. No Israelite was at liberty to use any
productions of his field until he had presented the required
offerings. The tribute began to be exigible after the settlement in
the promised land, and it was yearly repeated at one of the great
feasts ([Leviticus 2:14](../../../kjv/leviticus/2/14); [Leviticus 23:10](../../../kjv/leviticus/23/10);
[Leviticus 23:15](../../../kjv/leviticus/23/15); [Numbers 28:26](../../../kjv/numbers/28/26);
[Deuteronomy 16:9](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/16/9)). Every master of a
family carried it on his shoulders in a little basket of osier,
peeled willow, or palm leaves, and brought it to the sanctuary.

**5. thou shalt say . . . A Syrian
ready to perish was my father**—rather, "a wandering
Syrian." The ancestors of the Hebrews were nomad shepherds,
either Syrians by birth as Abraham, or by long residence as Jacob.
When they were established as a nation in the possession of the
promised land, they were indebted to God's unmerited goodness for
their distinguished privileges, and in token of gratitude they
brought this basket of first-fruits.

**11. thou shalt rejoice**—feasting
with friends and the Levites, who were invited on such occasions to
share in the cheerful festivities that followed oblations ([Deuteronomy 12:7](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/12/7);
[Deuteronomy 16:10-15](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/16/10-15)).

**12-15. When thou hast made an end of
tithing all the tithes of thine increase the third year**—Among
the Hebrews there were two tithings. The first was appropriated to
the Levites ([Numbers 18:21](../../../kjv/numbers/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 ([Deuteronomy 14:22](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/14/22);
[Deuteronomy 14:23](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/14/23)). This was done for two
consecutive years. But this second tithing was eaten at home, and the
third year distributed among the poor of the place ([Deuteronomy 14:28](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/14/28);
[Deuteronomy 14:29](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/14/29)).

**13. 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.

**14. I have not eaten thereof in my
mourning**—in a season of sorrow, which brought defilement on
sacred things; under a pretense of poverty, and grudging to give any
away to the poor.
**neither . . . for any unclean
use**—that is, any common purpose, different from what God had
appointed and which would have been a desecration of it.
**nor given ought thereof for
the dead**—on any funeral service, or, to an *idol,* which
is a dead thing.

**12-15. When thou hast made an end of
tithing all the tithes of thine increase the third year**—Among
the Hebrews there were two tithings. The first was appropriated to
the Levites ([Numbers 18:21](../../../kjv/numbers/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 ([Deuteronomy 14:22](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/14/22);
[Deuteronomy 14:23](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/14/23)). This was done for two
consecutive years. But this second tithing was eaten at home, and the
third year distributed among the poor of the place ([Deuteronomy 14:28](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/14/28);
[Deuteronomy 14:29](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/14/29)).

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