Deuteronomy 14:26

and thou shalt bestow the money It was this law, which with other customs led to the rise of markets for cattle and other commodities in the Temple Courts with the consequent abuses, fostered by the priests for their own enrichment, which our Lord chastised. Cp. Jeremiah 6:13; Jeremiah 7:11; Jeremiah 23:11.

for whatsoever thy soul desireth … asketh of thee On the soulas seat of the appetite see Deuteronomy 12:20; on desireth, Deuteronomy 5:21. The emphatic liberality of this provision is striking. Though the tithe is a vegetable one, flesh may be substituted for it: cp. Deuteronomy 14:23 according to which it was to be eaten with the firstlings.

or for wine, or for strong drink The attempt is sometimes made to argue that the juice of the vine when praised or prescribed in the O.T. is never an intoxicating liquor. That is clearly contradicted here; strong drinkis a true transl. of the Heb. shekar, -omne quod inebriare potest" (Jerome), which because of its effects is condemned in Isaiah 5:11; Isaiah 5:22; Isaiah 28:7; Mic 2:11; 1 Samuel 1:15; Proverbs 20:1, and is forbidden to priests on duty, Leviticus 10:9; cp. Proverbs 31:4, prescribed to invalids. The adj. from it shikkor= drunkard. In Israel there was the same difference of opinion as to its use which prevails among ourselves.

and thou shalt rejoice See on Deuteronomy 12:7.

thou and thine household As in Deuteronomy 12:7; Deuteronomy 12:12; Deuteronomy 12:18: the tithes or their equivalent are to be enjoyed, not as in P by the Temple Levites and Priests but by the offerers and their families including