26:2a 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 b place his name there.
(a) By this ceremony they acknowledged that they received
the land of Canaan as a free gift from God.
(b) To be called upon, served and worshipped spiritually,
(De 12:5).
26:5 And thou shalt speak and say before the LORD thy God, A c
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, d and populous:
(c) Meaning, Jacob, who served 20 years in Syria.
(d) Only by God's mercy, and not by their father's
deserving.
26:7 And when we e cried unto the LORD God of our fathers, the
LORD heard our voice, and looked on our affliction, and our
labour, and our oppression:
(e) Alleging the promises made to our fathers, Abraham,
Isaac and Jacob.
26:10 And now, behold, I have f 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:
(f) In token of a thankful heart, and mindful of this
benefit.
26:11 And thou shalt rejoice in every good [thing] which the
LORD thy God hath given unto thee, and unto thine g
house, thou, and the Levite, and the stranger that [is]
among you.
(g) Signifying that God does not give us goods for
ourselves only, but to be used also by those who are
committed to our charge.
26:13 Then thou shalt h 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 i transgressed thy commandments, neither have I
forgotten [them]:
(h) Without hypocrisy.
(i) Of malice and contempt.
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 m
according to all that thou hast commanded me.
(m) As far as my sinful nature would allow: or else as
David and Paul say, there is not one just,
(Ps 14:3, Ro 3:10).
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 n all thine heart, and with all thy soul.
(n) With a good and simple conscience.
26:18o 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;
(o) Signifying that there is a mutual bond between God and
his people.
