20140119 Sunday, January 19 2014
Deuteronomy 26: The Tithe Of Produce

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"A Syrian ready to perish was my father, and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there with a few, and became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous"

The people of the LORD (Who was and is Jesus Christ - see Genesis 1: In The Beginning Was The Word and The Kingdom Of The LORD God) are commanded to be personally responsible and self-sufficient. The Fourth Commandment, which is a two part Commandment, is about resting on the Seventh Day from the work that is commanded to be done on the six work days: "Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work."

"20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: 20:10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: 20:11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it." (Exodus 20:8-11 KJV)

The LORD commanded those who were able to work to help those who were unable to work or to provide for themselves through no fault or irresponsibility of their own. The "gleaner's law" (see The Gleaner's Law) provided able-bodied unemployed people with a dignified means to work to provide food for themselves and their families, just as the Israelites had to work to gather manna in the wilderness.

The elderly were cared for by their own families and clans - just as they are still today in many so-called "primitive" societies.

"20:12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee." (Exodus 20:12 KJV)

"5:4 But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God." (1 Timothy 5:4 KJV)

"5:8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel." (1 Timothy 5:8 KJV)

Everyone with means was expected to help those who could not work - in contrast to those who would not work i.e. "3:10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat." (2 Thessalonians 3:10 KJV).

"15:11 For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land." (Deuteronomy 15:11 KJV)

"22:9 He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor." (Proverbs 22:9 KJV)

The system of tithing of crop produce was also established for the same purpose, for "When thou hast made an end of tithing all the tithes of thine increase."

"26:1 And it shall be, when thou art come in unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and possessest it, and dwellest therein; 26:2 That thou shalt take of the first of all the fruit of the earth, which thou shalt bring of thy land that the LORD thy God giveth thee, and shalt put it in a basket, and shalt go unto the place which the LORD thy God shall choose to place his name there. 26:3 And thou shalt go unto the priest that shall be in those days, and say unto him, I profess this day unto the LORD thy God, that I am come unto the country which the LORD sware unto our fathers for to give us. 26:4 And the priest shall take the basket out of thine hand, and set it down before the altar of the LORD thy God. 26:5 And thou shalt speak and say before the LORD thy God, A Syrian ready to perish was my father, and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there with a few, and became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous: 26:6 And the Egyptians evil entreated us, and afflicted us, and laid upon us hard bondage: 26:7 And when we cried unto the LORD God of our fathers, the LORD heard our voice, and looked on our affliction, and our labour, and our oppression: 26:8 And the LORD 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: 26:9 And he hath brought us into this place, and hath given us this land, even a land that floweth with milk and honey. 26:10 And now, behold, I have brought the firstfruits of the land, which thou, O LORD, hast given me. And thou shalt set it before the LORD thy God, and worship before the LORD thy God: 26:11 And thou shalt rejoice in every good thing which the LORD thy God hath given unto thee, and unto thine house, thou, and the Levite, and the stranger that is among you.

26:12 When thou hast made an end of tithing all the tithes of thine increase the third year, which is the year of tithing, and hast given it unto the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, that they may eat within thy gates, and be filled; 26:13 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: 26:14 I have not eaten thereof in my mourning, neither have I taken away ought thereof for any unclean use, nor given ought thereof for the dead: but I have hearkened to the voice of the LORD my God, and have done according to all that thou hast commanded me. 26:15 Look down from thy holy habitation, from heaven, and bless thy people Israel, and the land which thou hast given us, as thou swarest unto our fathers, a land that floweth with milk and honey.

26:16 This day the LORD thy God hath commanded thee to do these statutes and judgments: thou shalt therefore keep and do them with all thine heart, and with all thy soul. 26:17 Thou hast avouched the LORD this day to be thy God, and to walk in his ways, and to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and to hearken unto his voice: 26:18 And the LORD hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people, as he hath promised thee, and that thou shouldest keep all his commandments; 26:19 And to make thee high above all nations which he hath made, in praise, and in name, and in honour; and that thou mayest be an holy people unto the LORD thy God, as he hath spoken." (Deuteronomy 26:1-19 KJV)

Fact Finder: From the verses shown above: "26:5 And thou shalt speak and say before the LORD thy God, A Syrian ready to perish was my father, and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there with a few, and became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous: 26:6 And the Egyptians evil entreated us, and afflicted us, and laid upon us hard bondage" (Deuteronomy 26:5-6 KJV)
(a) Why were the Israelite patriarchs referred to as "Syrian"? (b) Why were they "ready to perish" when they "went down into Egypt"? (c) How few were the Israelites when they "sojourned there with a few"? (d) How is it that the Israelites "became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous"? (e) Why were the Israelites, for just one generation in four hundred years, "afflicted" with "hard bondage"?
(a) See A Biography Of Jacob: The Jacobites Of Syria
(b) See Genesis 42: Joseph's Sheaves and Stars Dreams Fulfilled
(c) See Genesis 46: The First Census Of Israel
(d) See Exodus 1: I Will There Make Of Thee A Great Nation
(e) See Deuteronomy 24: How Long Were They Slaves?