Deuteronomy 14:22-29

THOUGHT QUESTIONS 14:22-29

258.

What would happen to ten-percent of the see? To whom was it given? What use was made of it?

259.

How could the tithe be given to the Lord if it was eaten by the worshipper?

260.

Why would the exception of Deuteronomy 14:24-25 help some of the twelve tribes?

261.

Does Deuteronomy 14:26 give permission for the drinking of strong drink? Discuss.

262.

Explain the special provision made in Deuteronomy 14:28-29.

AMPLIFIED TRANSLATION 14:22-29

22 You shall surely tithe all the yield of your seed, produced by your field each year.
23 And you shall eat before the Lord your God, in the place in which He will cause His name [and presence] to dwell, the tithe (tenth) of your grain, your new wine, your oil, and the firstlings of your herd and your flock, that you may learn (reverently) to fear the Lord your God always.
24 And if the distance is too long for you to carry your tithe, or the place where the Lord your God chooses to set His name [and presence] is too far away for you, when the Lord your God has blessed you,
25 Then you shall turn it into money, and bind up the money in your hand, and shall go to the place [of worship] which the Lord your God has chosen;
26 And you may spend that money for whatever your appetite craves, for oxen, or sheep, or new wine or stronger drink, or whatever you desire; and you shall eat there before the Lord your God, you and you household.
27 And you shall not forsake or neglect the Levite [God's minister] in your towns, for he has been given no share or inheritance with you.
28 At the end of every three years you shall bring forth all the tithe of your increase the same year, and lay it up within your towns;
29 And the Levite [because he has no part or inheritance with you], and the stranger or temporary resident, and the fatherless, and the widow, who are in your towns, shall come and eat and be satisfied; that the Lord Your God may bless you in all the work of your hands that you do.

COMMENT 14:22-29

TITHE. FROM THE FIELD YEAR BY YEAR (Deuteronomy 14:22)The produce of the soil is to be tithed each year. This was to be brought to the central sanctuarythe place which he [God] shall choose (Deuteronomy 14:23). There, the giver would share in a sacrificial feast with the Levites (See chapter 12). Obviously, the giver was not to eat all the tithe, as some have erroneously implied. If a man's little farm yielded barely enough to feed his family, this interpretation of the law would require him to eat up at one feast what would keep his family for five weeks! The law allowed for this single meal from the tithe, before it was given into the care of the priests and Levites.. simply providing that, when the farmer came up annually with his tithe and his firstlings, he should unite with the beneficiaries of it in a feast on part of it ere he left the remainder for its appointed purpose. It was a very wise provision; because it had the tendency to make the giver part from his gifts more cheerfully. (McGarvey). He continues, There is still another reason, a very imperative one, for thus understanding the law. If the whole tithe were to be eaten at one feast, the Levite would certainly be well stuffed at the time, but what provision would this be for the rest of the year? He would have nothing to eat except when he could find some farmer coming up with his tithe, and there would be intervals of feasting and longer ones of fasting throughout the yeara mode of living not conductive to good health or long life.

We now must ask the question, how many tithes did the faithful Israelite give to the Lord? Albert Barnes, commenting on Matthew 23:23, states, The law requires the Jews to devote a tenth part of all their property to the support of the Levites, Numbers 18:20-24. Another tenth part they paid for the service of the sanctuary, commonly in cattle and grain, but where they lived far from the place of worship they changed it to money, Deuteronomy 14:22-24. Besides these, there was to be every third year a tenth part given to the poor, to be eaten in their own dwellings (Deuteronomy 14:28-29); so that nearly one-third of the property of the Jews was devoted to religious services by law. This was besides the voluntary offerings which they made.

This quote represents a fairly common and popular concept. But as we have already seen, the latter part of it is obviously erroneous. The three-year tithe of Deuteronomy 14:28-29 was not solely for the poor, but simply provided for them.

Now the question as to whether our present scripture is a second titheadditional to that given in Numbers and Leviticus: We see no need of so understanding it. It appears, rather, that the differences that are here are rather to be considered as further stages of legislation, particularly in view of the fact that (excepting the three-year tithe) no mention is made of more tithes than one, This, of course, does not include the many special and free-will offerings (Malachi 3:8), sacrifices, etc. See below.

THE FIRSTLINGS OF THY HERD AND OF THY FLOCK (Deuteronomy 14:23)These were God's (Numbers 18:15-17, Exodus 34:19). See Deuteronomy 12:6, Deuteronomy 15:19-23 and notes.

STRONG DRINK (Deuteronomy 14:26)Heb. sbecar (akin to our word cider) defined by Gesenius, strong drink, intoxicating liquor, mentioning that it might be made from barley, honey, grapes or dates, but usually distinguished from wine, as, of course, it is here. The word appears in a similar connection in Numbers 28:7. In Lange's commentary, A. Gosman remarks, The distinction here is not between two kinds of wine, one intoxicating and the other not, but between wine and a drink made from some other substance than the grape; from honey or barley.

AT THE END OF THREE YEARS THOU SHALT BRING FORTH ALL THE TITHE (Deuteronomy 14:29)See also Deuteronomy 26:12-15. In this instance, as in the other [See above], it would be impossible to eat all the tithe in one feast; and if it were thus eaten, the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless and the widow would alternate between enormous feasts and excruciating fasts. The meaning evidently is that out of the supply laid up and kept on hand the Levites were to be provided for, and the poor to be kept from suffering. But here, again, the law in Numbers [Numbers 18:21-32, Cf. Leviticus 27:30-33] is presupposed. It had already provided for the support of the Levites out of the tithe, and this law simply adds the provision that the poor of the cities in which the tithe was stored should also be fed from it. It is like the provisions of a man's will in which by an early clause he bequeaths certain property to one of his children, and in a later clause directs that this child shall give an annual feast to his brothers and sisters, and keep from suffering any of them who might become very poor. (McGarvey

Surely Israel was to be a giving nation. Vows, free-will offerings, burnt-offerings, drink-offerings, meal-offerings seem to come in an over-whelming deluge as one reads through the last four books of the Pentateuch. Then there were the festivals (Chap. 16) where the command was, they shall not appear before Jehovah empty. Add to this such laws as the releasing from debt in the seventh year (Deuteronomy 15:1 ff.), helping and lending to the needy, and allowing for the poor in harvest time (Deuteronomy 24:19-22), and what characteristic would you have in a faithful Israelite? Generosity, both toward God and man!

QUESTIONS, LESSON TWELVE (Deuteronomy 14:22 to Deuteronomy 15:23)

1.

How many tithes did the faithful Israelite give to the Lord?

2.

How did the three-year tithe differ from the tithe of all the increase of thy seed. ?

3.

What if the central sanctuary was a long way from home? What provision was made?

4.

What principles should a faithful Israelite have learned from these various laws about giving?

5.

How often was the year of release from debt?

6.

In relation to loaning, what base thought might the prosperous man have, and when would he be most likely to have it?

7.

Who or what will never cease out of the land? How did Jesus apply this principle?

8.

What does the expression, for to the double of the hire of a hireling hath he served thee (Deuteronomy 15:18) mean?

9.

For what could an Israelite use the firstlings of the flock?