You shall say before Yahweh your God, “I have put away the holy things out of my house, and also have given them to the Levite, to the foreigner, to the fatherless, and to the widow, according to all your commandment which you have commanded me. I have not transgressed any of your commandments, neither have I forgotten them. I have not eaten of it in my mourning, neither have I removed any of it while I was unclean, nor given of it for the dead. I have listened to Yahweh my God’s voice. I have done according to all that you have commanded me. Look down from your holy habitation, from heaven, and bless your people Israel, and the ground which you have given us, as you swore to our fathers, a land flowing with milk and honey.”
Show the surrounding paragraph
Deuteronomy 26:13-15 sits inside this longer paragraph.
When you have finished tithing all the tithe of your increase in the third year, which is the year of tithing, then you shall give it to the Levite, to the foreigner, to the fatherless, and to the widow, that they may eat within your gates and be filled. You shall say before Yahweh your God, “I have put away the holy things out of my house, and also have given them to the Levite, to the foreigner, to the fatherless, and to the widow, according to all your commandment which you have commanded me. I have not transgressed any of your commandments, neither have I forgotten them. I have not eaten of it in my mourning, neither have I removed any of it while I was unclean, nor given of it for the dead. I have listened to Yahweh my God’s voice. I have done according to all that you have commanded me. Look down from your holy habitation, from heaven, and bless your people Israel, and the ground which you have given us, as you swore to our fathers, a land flowing with milk and honey.”
Parallel Translations
-
You shall say before Yahweh your God, “I have put away the holy things out of my house, and also have given them to the Levite, to the foreigner, to the fatherless, and to the widow, according to all your commandment which you have commanded me. I have not transgressed any of your commandments, neither have I forgotten them.
I have not eaten of it in my mourning, neither have I removed any of it while I was unclean, nor given of it for the dead. I have listened to Yahweh my God’s voice. I have done according to all that you have commanded me.
Look down from your holy habitation, from heaven, and bless your people Israel, and the ground which you have given us, as you swore to our fathers, a land flowing with milk and honey.”
-
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:
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.
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.
Show all 3 translations
-
then thou shalt say before the LORD thy God: 'I have put away the hallowed things out of my house, and also have given them unto the Levite, and unto the stranger, to the fatherless, and to the widow, according to all Thy commandment which Thou hast commanded me; I have not transgressed any of Thy commandments, neither have I forgotten them.
I have not eaten thereof in my mourning, neither have I put away thereof, being unclean, nor given thereof for the dead; I have hearkened to the voice of the LORD my God, I have done according to all that Thou hast commanded me.
Look forth from Thy holy habitation, from heaven, and bless Thy people Israel, and the land which Thou hast given us, as Thou didst swear unto our fathers, a land flowing with milk and honey.'
Examined in Scripture Analysis
Commandments (4)
The laws of the Torah, each cited and shown as a primary source.
Cross-references (44)
- Leviticus 7:20 (v14) but the soul who eats of the meat of the sacrifice of peace offerings that belongs to Yahweh, having his uncleanness on him, that soul…
- Isaiah 63:15 (v15) Look down from heaven, and see from the habitation of your holiness and of your glory. Where are your zeal and your mighty acts? The…
- Leviticus 21:1 (v14) Yahweh said to Moses, “Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say to them, ‘A priest shall not defile himself for the dead among his…
- Leviticus 21:11 (v14) He must not go in to any dead body, or defile himself for his father or for his mother.
- Psalms 119:141 (v13) I am small and despised. I don’t forget your precepts.
Show all 44 cross-references
- Psalms 119:153 (v13) Consider my affliction, and deliver me, for I don’t forget your law.
- Psalms 119:176 (v13) I have gone astray like a lost sheep. Seek your servant, for I don’t forget your commandments.
- Hosea 9:4 (v14) They won’t pour out wine offerings to Yahweh, neither will they be pleasing to him. Their sacrifices will be to them like the bread of…
- Zechariah 2:13 (v15) Be silent, all flesh, before Yahweh; for he has roused himself from his holy habitation!”
- 1 Kings 8:27 (v15) But will God in very deed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens can’t contain you; how much less this house that I…
- 1 Kings 8:43 (v15) hear in heaven, your dwelling place, and do according to all that the foreigner calls to you for; that all the peoples of the earth may…
- Psalms 106:28 (v14) They joined themselves also to Baal Peor, and ate the sacrifices of the dead.
- Isaiah 66:1-2 (v15) Yahweh says, “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build to me? Where will I rest? For my hand…
- Jeremiah 31:23 (v15) Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, says: “Yet again they will use this speech in the land of Judah and in its cities, when I reverse…
- Acts 7:49 (v15) ‘heaven is my throne, and the earth a footstool for my feet. What kind of house will you build me?’ says the Lord. ‘Or what is the place of…
- Deuteronomy 14:29 (v13) The Levite, because he has no portion nor inheritance with you, as well as the foreigner living among you, the fatherless, and the widow…
- Deuteronomy 16:11 (v14) You shall rejoice before Yahweh your God: you, your son, your daughter, your male servant, your female servant, the Levite who is within…
- Deuteronomy 24:19-21 (v13) When you reap your harvest in your field, and have forgotten a sheaf in the field, you shall not go again to get it. It shall be for the…
- Deuteronomy 26:7 (v15) Then we cried to Yahweh, the God of our fathers. Yahweh heard our voice, and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression.
- Deuteronomy 26:12 (v13) When you have finished tithing all the tithe of your increase in the third year, which is the year of tithing, then you shall give it to…
- Job 31:16-20 (v13) “If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail, or have eaten my morsel alone, and the…
- Psalms 18:21-24 (v13) For I have kept the ways of Yahweh, and have not wickedly departed from my God. For all his ordinances were before me. I didn’t put away…
- Psalms 26:1-3 (v13) Judge me, Yahweh, for I have walked in my integrity. I have trusted also in Yahweh without wavering. Examine me, Yahweh, and prove me. Try…
- Psalms 26:6 (v13) I will wash my hands in innocence, so I will go about your altar, Yahweh,
- Psalms 28:9 (v15) Save your people, and bless your inheritance. Be their shepherd also, and bear them up forever.
- Psalms 51:18 (v15) Do well in your good pleasure to Zion. Build the walls of Jerusalem.
- Psalms 90:17 (v15) Let the favor of the Lord our God be on us. Establish the work of our hands for us. Yes, establish the work of our hands.
- Psalms 102:19-20 (v15) For he has looked down from the height of his sanctuary. From heaven, Yahweh saw the earth; to hear the groans of the prisoner; to free…
- Psalms 119:93 (v13) I will never forget your precepts, for with them, you have revived me.
- Psalms 119:139 (v13) My zeal wears me out, because my enemies ignore your words.
- Psalms 137:5-6 (v15) If I forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill. Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I don’t remember you, if I…
- Proverbs 3:1 (v13) My son, don’t forget my teaching; but let your heart keep my commandments:
- Isaiah 57:15 (v15) For the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy, says: “I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also who is of a…
- Isaiah 61:1 (v15) The Lord Yahweh’s Spirit is on me, because Yahweh has anointed me to preach good news to the humble. He has sent me to bind up the broken…
- Ezekiel 24:17 (v14) Sigh, but not aloud. Make no mourning for the dead. Bind your headdress on you, and put your sandals on your feet. Don’t cover your lips,…
- Malachi 2:13 (v14) This again you do: you cover Yahweh’s altar with tears, with weeping, and with sighing, because he doesn’t regard the offering any more,…
- Matthew 6:9 (v15) Pray like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.
- Acts 24:16 (v13) In this I also practice always having a conscience void of offense toward God and men.
- 2 Corinthians 1:12 (v13) For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and sincerity of God, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of…
- 2 Corinthians 11:31 (v13) The God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, he who is blessed forever more, knows that I don’t lie.
- Hebrews 6:13-18 (v15) For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he could swear by no one greater, he swore by himself, saying, “Surely blessing I will bless…
- 1 John 3:17-22 (v13) But whoever has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, then closes his heart of compassion against him, how does God’s love remain…
- Psalms 115:12-15 (v15) Yahweh remembers us. He will bless us. He will bless the house of Israel. He will bless the house of Aaron. He will bless those who fear…
- 1 Thessalonians 2:10 (v13) You are witnesses with God how holy, righteously, and blamelessly we behaved ourselves toward you who believe.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this passage (15 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
Private notes
Saved on this device only — never synced or sent anywhere.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv13–14 Without hypocrisy.
Without hypocrisy.
Of malice and contempt.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv13–14 Deu 26:13 Then thou shalt say before the LORD…
Deu 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]:
Ver. 13. I have not transgressed.] This is spoken, not by way of Pharisaical boasting or opinion of merit, but public testification of entire obedience.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv13–15 Before the Lord, i.e. either before the tabernacle or…
Before the Lord, i.e. either before the tabernacle or temple; or rather, in thy private and domestic addresses to God; for this is to be said presently upon the distribution of these tithes, which was not done at Jerusalem, but
in their own private gates or dwellings; except we will suppose that after he had given away these tithes at home he should go up to Jerusalem merely to make this acknowledgment, which seems improbable. And this is to be spoken before the Lord, i.e. solemnly, seriously, and in a religious manner, with due respect to God’s presence and will and glory, which is a sufficient ground for that phrase. I have brought away, or, separated, or, removed, to wit, from my own proper and private fruits. The hallowed things, i.e. the tithes which have been sanctified and set apart for these uses.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv13–15 Then thou shalt say before the Lord thy God,....…
Then thou shalt say before the Lord thy God,.... Make the following declaration as in his presence; for this was not made in the tabernacle or temple at, Jerusalem, since the tithe was to be eaten with the poor in the gates of the owner, as in Deu 26:12,
I have brought away the hallowed things out of mine house: which Aben Ezra and Onkelos interpret of the tithe; but it seems, besides that, to take in everything devoted to all holy uses, be they what they will, which were at this time to be separated from a man's own common goods, and applied to the purposes for which they were designed and devoted, and particularly what was to be given to the poor:
Read full note →
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; giving to each according as the law directs; which the Targum of Jonathan and Jarchi interpret as before, giving the first tithe to the Levites, and the second tithe to the rest:
I have not transgressed thy commandments, neither have I forgotten them: neither broken them wilfully, nor omitted them through carelessness, negligence, and forgetfulness, but was mindful to observe them punctually and exactly.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv13–15 Before the Lord - In thy private addresses to…
Before the Lord - In thy private addresses to God; for this is to be said presently upon the distribution of these tithes, which was not done at Jerusalem, but in their own private gates or dwellings. And this is to be spoken before the Lord, that is, solemnly, seriously, and in a religious manner, with due respect to God's presence, and will, and glory.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On v14 Verse 14. I have not - given aught thereof…
Verse 14. I have not - given aught thereof for the dead] That is, I have not consecrated any of it to an idol which was generally a dead man whom superstition and ignorance had deified. From 1Co 10:27-28, we learn that it was customary to offer that flesh to idols which was afterwards sold publicly in the shambles; probably the blood was poured out before the idol in imitation of the sacrifices offered to the true God. Perhaps the text here alludes to a similar custom.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv13–15 Deu 26:13. Before the Lord thy God — As…
Deu 26:13. Before the Lord thy God — As this tithe of the third year was to be spent at home, these words must signify either that every man was to make this solemn profession at home in his private addresses to God, or that the next time he went up to the place of the sanctuary he was to make this declaration before the most holy place, where God was supposed to be peculiarly present. At whichever place he made it, it was to be done as before God; that is, solemnly, seriously, and in a religious manner, with due respect to God’s presence, in obedience to his command, and with an eye to his glory.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On v14 I have not eaten thereof in my mourning -…
I have not eaten thereof in my mourning - When the Israelite would be unclean (compare the marginal references).
Nor given ought thereof for the dead - The reference is not so much to the superstitious custom of placing food on or in tombs as to the funeral expenses, and more especially the usual feast for the mourners (compare Jer 16:7; Eze 24:17; Hos 9:4; Tobit 4:17). The dedicated things were to be employed in glad and holy feasting, not therefore for funeral banquets; for death and all associated with it was regarded as unclean.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv13–14 Taken. Hebrew, "burnt." (Calmet) --- I have brought all…
Taken. Hebrew, "burnt." (Calmet) --- I have brought all that was due, (Tirinus) so that no more can be found in my house than what the fire would have spared, if it had been thrown into it.
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On vv13–14 thou shalt say before the Lord thy God, I…
thou shalt say before the Lord thy God, I have brought away the hallowed things out of mine house--This was a solemn declaration that nothing which should be devoted to the divine service had been secretly reserved for personal use.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv13–14 13. The hallowed things — Any thing that was…
13. The hallowed things — Any thing that was set apart to be bestowed in accordance with the law to the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, the widow. “Every consecrated present bore the brief appellation, ‘Sacred thing.’” — EWALD’S Antiquities of Israel, p. 75.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv13–15 13. then thou shalt say before the Lord thy…
13. then thou shalt say before the Lord thy God] That is (in accordance with Deu_26:5; Deu_26:10, Deu_12:7; Deu_12:12; Deu_12:18, Deu_14:23; Deu_14:25 f., Deu_15:20, Deu_16:11, Deu_19:17) at the sanctuary, and probably during the Feast of Booths (so all recent commentators).
I have put away] The same vb. as, in Deu_13:5 (6), q.v., Deu_17:7, etc., is used for putting away evil things. Equally with them the tithe is taboo, forbidden and dangerous for common use.
Read full note →
the hallowed things] Heb. the ḳodesh, lit. holiness or hallowedness (see above on Deu_7:6), but applied also to the concrete objects or persons set apart for the Deity or (as here) by His command, e.g. the Temple and its contents, the Holy City, sacrifices, etc.; in Deu_12:26 parallel to vows, here the tithes for the poor, an interesting extension of the idea of ceremonial sacredness; not without its ethical meaning for ourselves. ‘We are commanded to give alms of such things as we have; and then, and not otherwise, all things are clean to us’ (M. Henry).
out of mine house] where they had been stored, Deu_14:28.
all thy commandments] So Sam., LXX. The anxiety to keep these ritual laws, with a great ethical purpose behind them—viz. the relief of the poor—is very striking. The laws are now detailed:—
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv13–15 Say before the Lord; i.e. address him as present…
Say before the Lord; i.e. address him as present and ready to hear. The expression, "before the Lord," does not necessarily imply that it was in the sanctuary that the prayer was to be offered. Isaac proposed to bless his son "before the Lord," i.e. within his own house or tent; (Gen_27:7) and so the Israelite here might in his own home make his prayer to the Omnipresent Jehovah. I have not transgressed thy commandments, etc. This is not a self-righteous boast; it is rather a solemn profession of attention to duties which might have been neglected, and refers, not to the keeping of every commandment, but to the having faithfully done all that the Law required in respect of tithes.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On v14 General Information:
General Information:
This continues what the Israelite must say to Yahweh when he gives his tithe to the poor.
Read full note →
I have not eaten any of it in my mourning
"I have not eaten any of the tithe while I was mourning"
when I was impure
Here "impure" means the person is unclean according to the Law. God does not allow an unclean person to touch the tithe he is giving to God. The full meaning of this statement can be made explicit. AT: "when I was unclean according to the Law" or "when the law says I cannot touch it" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
I have listened to the voice of Yahweh my God; I have obeyed everything you have commanded me to do
Here "voice of Yahweh" is a metonym for what Yahweh says. Both statements share similar meanings. They emphasize that the person has obeyed all of God's commands. (See: Metonymy and Parallelism)
from the holy place where you live, from heaven
These two phrases mean the same thing. AT: "from heaven, your holy dwelling place" (See: Doublet)
a land flowing with milk and honey
This is an idiom. See how you translated this in Deuteronomy 6:3. AT: "a land where plenty of milk and honey flow" or "a land that is excellent for cattle and farming"
translationWords
mourn
honor
die
voice
obey
command
holy place
life
heaven
bless
oath
ancestor
honey
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv13–14 26:13 I have taken (literally burned) the sacred gift:…
26:13 I have taken (literally burned) the sacred gift: This phrase means that the donor had given his own property to the Levites and to others in need.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.