Deuteronomy 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._ Thou shalt take of the first of all the fruit. The Israelites in Canaan being God's tenants-at-will, the entire produce of the land was His; and as holding of Him, they 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 fields until he had presented the first-fruits and tithes. No Israelite was at liberty to use any productions of his fields until he had presented the required offering. The terms of the law (Deuteronomy 26:1) seem to restrict the obligation to Canaan proper; but the duty was considered equally binding on those who

2._That thou shalt take of the first. _We know that in the first-fruits the whole produce of the year was consecrated to God. The people, (338) therefore, bore in them a testimony of their piety to Him, whom they daily experienced to be their preserver, and the giver of their food. This typical rite has now, indeed, ceased, but Paul tells us that the true observation of it still remains, where he exhorts us, whether we eat or drink, to do all to the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31.) As to the place where the first-fruits were to be offered, and why God is said to have placed His name there, we shall hereafter consider, when we come to the sacrifices; I now only briefly touch upon what concerns the present subject. _I profess this day. _In these words the Israelites confess that they had not gained dominion of the land either by their

1-11 When God has made good his promises to us, he expects we should own it to the honour of his faithfulness. And our creature comforts are doubly sweet, when we see them flowing from the fountain of the promise. The person who offered his first-fruits, must remember and own the mean origin of that nation, of which he was a member. A Syrian ready to perish was my father. Jacob is here called a Syrian. Their nation in its infancy sojourned in Egypt as strangers, they served there as slaves. They were a poor, despised, oppressed people in Egypt; and though become rich and great, had no reason to be proud, secure, or forgetful of God. He must thankfully acknowledge God's great goodness to Israel. The comfort we have in our own enjoyments, should lead us to be thankful for our share in public peace and plenty; and with present mercies we should bless the Lord for the former mercies we reme...

Verse Deuteronomy 26:2. _THOU SHALT TAKE OF THE FIRST OF ALL THE FRUIT, C._] This was intended to keep them in continual remembrance of the kindness of God, in preserving them through so many difficulties and literally fulfilling the promises he had made to them. God being the author of all their blessings, the first-fruits of the land were consecrated to him, as the author of every good and perfect gift....

On the subject of firstfruits see the notes at Leviticus 23:9 ff. The firstfruits here in question are to be distinguished alike from those offered in acknowledgment of the blessings of harvest (compare Exodus 22:29) at the Feasts of Passover and Pentecost, and also from the offerings prescribed in Numbers 18:8 ff. The latter consisted of preparations from the produce of the earth, such as oil, flour, wine, etc.; while those here meant are the raw produce: the former were national and public offerings, those of this chapter were private and personal. The whole of the firstfruits belonged to the officiating priest....

EXPOSITION THANKSGIVING AND PRAYER AT THE PRESENTATION OF FIRSTFRUITS AND TITHES. As Moses began his exposition of the laws and rights instituted for Israel by a reference to the sanctuary as the place which the Lord should choose, and the place where religious service was to be rendered (Deuteronomy 12:1.), so here he follows up his address by a reference to the same. Of the gifts which had to be presented at the sanctuary there were two specially connected with the social and domestic life of the people, viz. the firstfruits and the second tithe. To these, by a natural transition from the preceding discourse—occupied as that is with injunctions regarding their social and domestic relations—Mos

THAT THOU SHALT TAKE OF THE FIRST OF ALL THE FRUIT OF THE EARTH,.... This oblation of firstfruits was different front the sheaf of the firstfruits brought at barley harvest in the time of the passover, and from the two wave loaves of wheaten flour, at wheat harvest, at Pentecost; and from the cake of the first of their dough; see Leviticus 23:10. They were of one sort only, these of various kinds; though, as Jarchi observes, not all firstfruits, or the first of all sorts of fruits, were to be brought; for all were not bound to firstfruits, but the seven kinds only, called here the fruit of the earth, and are particularly mentioned in Deuteronomy 8:8; and their manner of observing, selecting, and gathering their firstfruits, as the same writer notes, was this; "a man goes into his field,

22. FIRSTFRUITS AND PRAYER CHAPTER 26 _ 1. The basket of first-fruits, confession and rejoicing (Deuteronomy 26:1)_ 2. Obedience yielded and prayer (Deuteronomy 26:12) 3. Jehovah acknowledges His people (Deuteronomy 26:16) The possession of the land is anticipated and a most beautiful ceremony is appointed for confession and worship in the place the Lord chose to place His Name there. The first of all the fruit of the land was to be gathered and put in a basket. This basket was presented unto the priest with the following words: “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

A preliminary offering of first-fruits (Deuteronomy 18:4) is to be presented annually in a basket (Deuteronomy 28:5; Deuteronomy 28:17) at the Temple, a hymn or liturgy, acknowledging Yahweh's goodness, to be recited at the same time. 1. = Deuteronomy 17:14_ a_. Deuteronomy 26:2. Render, some of the first-fruits of the ground. This seems to have constituted a small sacrificial meal, anticipatory of that supplied by the rest of the first-fruits....

EARTH. Hebrew. ground or soil, 'adamah, as in Exodus 23:19; Exodus 34:26; Leviticus 2:12; Leviticus 23:10; Numbers 15:20; Numbers 15:21.Numbers 18:4.Proverbs 3:9; Proverbs 3:10. BASKET. Heb men'e