8 And the LORD H3068 brought us forth H3318 out of Egypt H4714 with a mighty H2389 hand, H3027 and with an outstretched H5186 arm, H2220 and with great H1419 terribleness, H4172 and with signs, H226 and with wonders: H4159
But lift thou up H7311 thy rod, H4294 and stretch out H5186 thine hand H3027 over the sea, H3220 and divide H1234 it: and the children H1121 of Israel H3478 shall go H935 on dry H3004 ground through the midst H8432 of the sea. H3220 And I, behold, I will harden H2388 the hearts H3820 of the Egyptians, H4714 and they shall follow H935 them: H310 and I will get me honour H3513 upon Pharaoh, H6547 and upon all his host, H2428 upon his chariots, H7393 and upon his horsemen. H6571 And the Egyptians H4714 shall know H3045 that I am the LORD, H3068 when I have gotten me honour H3513 upon Pharaoh, H6547 upon his chariots, H7393 and upon his horsemen. H6571 And the angel H4397 of God, H430 which went H1980 before H6440 the camp H4264 of Israel, H3478 removed H5265 and went H3212 behind H310 them; and the pillar H5982 of the cloud H6051 went H5265 from before their face, H6440 and stood H5975 behind H310 them: And it came H935 between the camp H4264 of the Egyptians H4714 and the camp H4264 of Israel; H3478 and it was a cloud H6051 and darkness H2822 to them, but it gave light H215 by night H3915 to these: so that the one came not near H7126 the other H2088 all the night. H3915 And Moses H4872 stretched out H5186 his hand H3027 over the sea; H3220 and the LORD H3068 caused the sea H3220 to go H3212 back by a strong H5794 east H6921 wind H7307 all that night, H3915 and made H7760 the sea H3220 dry H2724 land, and the waters H4325 were divided. H1234 And the children H1121 of Israel H3478 went H935 into the midst H8432 of the sea H3220 upon the dry H3004 ground: and the waters H4325 were a wall H2346 unto them on their right hand, H3225 and on their left. H8040 And the Egyptians H4714 pursued, H7291 and went in H935 after H310 them to the midst H8432 of the sea, H3220 even all Pharaoh's H6547 horses, H5483 his chariots, H7393 and his horsemen. H6571 And it came to pass, that in the morning H1242 watch H821 the LORD H3068 looked H8259 unto the host H4264 of the Egyptians H4714 through the pillar H5982 of fire H784 and of the cloud, H6051 and troubled H2000 the host H4264 of the Egyptians, H4714 And took off H5493 their chariot H4818 wheels, H212 that they drave H5090 them heavily: H3517 so that the Egyptians H4714 said, H559 Let us flee H5127 from the face H6440 of Israel; H3478 for the LORD H3068 fighteth H3898 for them against the Egyptians. H4714 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Moses, H4872 Stretch out H5186 thine hand H3027 over the sea, H3220 that the waters H4325 may come again H7725 upon the Egyptians, H4714 upon their chariots, H7393 and upon their horsemen. H6571 And Moses H4872 stretched forth H5186 his hand H3027 over the sea, H3220 and the sea H3220 returned H7725 to his strength H386 when the morning H1242 appeared; H6437 and the Egyptians H4714 fled H5127 against H7125 it; and the LORD H3068 overthrew H5287 the Egyptians H4714 in the midst H8432 of the sea. H3220 And the waters H4325 returned, H7725 and covered H3680 the chariots, H7393 and the horsemen, H6571 and all the host H2428 of Pharaoh H6547 that came H935 into the sea H3220 after H310 them; there remained H7604 not so much as H5704 one H259 of them. But the children H1121 of Israel H3478 walked H1980 upon dry H3004 land in the midst H8432 of the sea; H3220 and the waters H4325 were a wall H2346 unto them on their right hand, H3225 and on their left. H8040 Thus the LORD H3068 saved H3467 Israel H3478 that day H3117 out of the hand H3027 of the Egyptians; H4714 and Israel H3478 saw H7200 the Egyptians H4714 dead H4191 upon the sea H3220 shore. H8193 And Israel H3478 saw H7200 that great H1419 work H3027 which the LORD H3068 did H6213 upon the Egyptians: H4714 and the people H5971 feared H3372 the LORD, H3068 and believed H539 the LORD, H3068 and his servant H5650 Moses. H4872
Marvellous things H6382 did H6213 he in the sight H5048 of their fathers, H1 in the land H776 of Egypt, H4714 in the field H7704 of Zoan. H6814 He divided H1234 the sea, H3220 and caused them to pass through; H5674 and he made the waters H4325 to stand H5324 as an heap. H5067
They shewed H7760 his signs H226 H1697 among them, and wonders H4159 in the land H776 of Ham. H2526 He sent H7971 darkness, H2822 and made it dark; H2821 and they rebelled H4784 not against his word. H1697 He turned H2015 their waters H4325 into blood, H1818 and slew H4191 their fish. H1710 Their land H776 brought forth H8317 frogs H6854 in abundance, H8317 in the chambers H2315 of their kings. H4428 He spake, H559 and there came H935 divers sorts of flies, H6157 and lice H3654 in all their coasts. H1366 He gave H5414 them hail H1259 for rain, H1653 and flaming H3852 fire H784 in their land. H776 He smote H5221 their vines H1612 also and their fig trees; H8384 and brake H7665 the trees H6086 of their coasts. H1366 He spake, H559 and the locusts H697 came, H935 and caterpillers, H3218 and that without number, H4557 And did eat up H398 all the herbs H6212 in their land, H776 and devoured H398 the fruit H6529 of their ground. H127 He smote H5221 also all the firstborn H1060 in their land, H776 the chief H7225 of all their strength. H202 He brought them forth H3318 also with silver H3701 and gold: H2091 and there was not one feeble H3782 person among their tribes. H7626 Egypt H4714 was glad H8055 when they departed: H3318 for the fear H6343 of them fell H5307 upon them.
Our fathers H1 understood H7919 not thy wonders H6381 in Egypt; H4714 they remembered H2142 not the multitude H7230 of thy mercies; H2617 but provoked H4784 him at the sea, H3220 even at the Red H5488 sea. H3220 Nevertheless he saved H3467 them for his name's H8034 sake, that he might make his mighty power H1369 to be known. H3045 He rebuked H1605 the Red H5488 sea H3220 also, and it was dried up: H2717 so he led H3212 them through the depths, H8415 as through the wilderness. H4057 And he saved H3467 them from the hand H3027 of him that hated H8130 them, and redeemed H1350 them from the hand H3027 of the enemy. H341
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Keil & Delitzsch Commentary » Commentary on Deuteronomy 26
Commentary on Deuteronomy 26 Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
To the exposition of the commandments and rights of Israel Moses adds, in closing, another ordinance respecting those gifts, which were most intimately connected with social and domestic life, viz., the first-fruits and second tithes, for the purpose of giving the proper consecration to the attitude of the nation towards its Lord and God.
Deuteronomy 26:1-4
Of the first of the fruit of the ground, which was presented from the land received from the Lord, the Israelites was to take a portion ( מראשׁית with מן partitive), and bring it in a basket to the place of the sanctuary, and give it to the priest who should be there, with the words, “I have made known to-day to the Lord thy God, that I have come into the land which the Lord swore to our fathers to give us ,” upon which the priest should take the basket and put it down before the altar of Jehovah (Deuteronomy 26:1-4). From the partitive מראשׁית we cannot infer, as Schultz supposes, that the first-fruits were not to be all delivered at the sanctuary, any more than this can be inferred from Exodus 23:19 (see the explanation of this passage). All that is implied is, that, for the purpose described afterwards, it was not necessary to put all the offerings of first-fruits into a basket and set them down before the altar. טנא (Deuteronomy 26:2, Deuteronomy 26:4, and Deuteronomy 28:5, Deuteronomy 28:17) is a basket of wicker-work, and not, as Knobel maintains, the Deuteronomist's word for צנצנת rof (Exodus 16:33. “ The priest ” is not the high priest, but the priest who had to attend to the altar-service and receive the sacrificial gifts. - The words, “I have to-day made known to the Lord thy God,” refer to the practical confession which was made by the presentation of the first-fruits. The fruit was the tangible proof that they were in possession of the land, and the presentation of the first of this fruit the practical confession that they were indebted to the Lord for the land. This confession the offerer was also to embody in a prayer of thanksgiving, after the basket had been received by the priest, in which he confessed that he and his people owed their existence and welfare to the grace of God, manifested in the miraculous redemption of Israel out of the oppression of Egypt and their guidance into Canaan.
Deuteronomy 26:5-9
אבי אבד ארמּי , “ a lost (perishing) Aramaean was my father ” (not the Aramaean, Laban , wanted to destroy my father, Jacob , as the Chald ., Arab ., Luther , and others render it). אבד signifies not only going astray, wandering, but perishing, in danger of perishing, as in Job 29:13; Proverbs 31:6, etc. Jacob is referred to, for it was he who went down to Egypt in few men. He is mentioned as the tribe-father of the nation, because the nation was directly descended from his sons, and also derived its name of Israel from him. Jacob is called in Aramaean, not only because of his long sojourn in Aramaea (Gen 29-31), but also because he got his wives and children there (cf. Hosea 12:13); and the relatives of the patriarchs had accompanied Abraham from Chaldaea to Mesopotamia (Aram; see Genesis 11:30). מעט בּמתי , consisting of few men ( בּ , the so-called beth essent ., as in Deuteronomy 10:22; Exodus 6:3, etc.; vid., Ewald , §299, q .). Compare Genesis 34:30, where Jacob himself describes his family as “few in number.” On the number in the family that migrated into Egypt, reckoned at seventy souls, see the explanation at Genesis 46:27. On the multiplication in Egypt into a great and strong people, see Exodus 1:7, Exodus 1:9; and on the oppression endured there, Exodus 1:11-22, and Exodus 2:23. - The guidance out of Egypt amidst great signs (Deuteronomy 26:8), as in Deuteronomy 4:34.
Deuteronomy 26:10
“ So shalt thou set it down (the basket with the first-fruits) before Jehovah .” These words are not to be understood, as Clericus , Knobel , and others suppose, in direct opposition to Deuteronomy 26:4 and Deuteronomy 26:5, as implying that the offerer had held the basket in his hand during the prayer, but simply as a remark which closes the instructions.
Deuteronomy 26:11
Rejoicing in all the good, etc., points to the joy connected with the sacrificial meal, which followed the act of worship (as in Deuteronomy 12:12). The presentation of the first-fruits took place, no doubt, on their pilgrimages to the sanctuary at the three yearly festivals (ch. 16); but it is quite without ground that Riehm restricts these words to the sacrificial meals to be prepared from the tithes, as if they had been the only sacrificial meals (see at Deuteronomy 18:3).
The delivery of the tithes, like the presentation of the first-fruits, was also to be sanctified by prayer before the Lord. It is true that only a prayer after taking the second tithe in the third year is commanded here; but that is simply because this tithe was appropriated everywhere throughout the land to festal meals for the poor and destitute (Deuteronomy 14:28), when prayer before the Lord would not follow per analogiam from the previous injunction concerning the presentation of first-fruits, as it would in the case of the tithes with which sacrificial meals were prepared at the sanctuary (Deuteronomy 14:22.). לעשׂר is the infinitive Hiphil for להעשׂר , as in Nehemiah 10:39 (on this form, vid., Ges. §53, 3 Anm. 2 and 7, and Ew. §131, b . and 244, b .). “Saying before the Lord” does not denote prayer in the sanctuary (at the tabernacle), but, as in Genesis 27:7, simply prayer before God the omnipresent One, who is enthroned in heaven (Deuteronomy 26:15), and blesses His people from above from His holy habitation. The declaration of having fulfilled the commandments of God refers primarily to the directions concerning the tithes, and was such a rendering of an account as springs from the consciousness that a man very easily transgresses the commandments of God, and has nothing in common with the blindness of pharisaic self-righteousness “ I have cleaned out the holy out of my house: ” the holy is that which is sanctified to God, that which belongs to the Lord and His servants, as in Leviticus 21:22. בּער signifies not only to remove, but to clean out, wipe out. That which was sanctified to God appeared as a debt, which was to be wiped out of a man's house ( Schultz ).
“ I have not eaten thereof in my sorrow .” אני , from און , tribulation, distress, signifies here in all probability mourning, and judging from what follows, mourning for the dead, equivalent to “in a mourning condition,” i.e., in a state of legal (Levitical) uncleanness; so that בּאני really corresponded to the בּטמא which follows, except that טמא includes every kind of legal uncleanness. “ I have removed nothing thereof as unclean ,” i.e., while in the state of an unclean person. Not only not eaten of any, but not removed any of it from the house, carried it away in an unclean state, in which they were forbidden to touch the holy gifts (Leviticus 22:3). “ And not given (any) of it on account of the dead .” This most probably refers to the custom of sending provisions into a house of mourning, to prepare meals for the mourners (2 Samuel 3:25; Jeremiah 16:7; Hosea 9:4; Tobit 4:17). A house of mourning, with its inhabitants, was regarded as unclean; consequently nothing could be carried into it of that which was sanctified. There is no good ground for thinking of idolatrous customs, or of any special superstition attached to the bread of mourning; nor is there any ground for understanding the words as referring to the later Jewish custom of putting provisions into the grave along with the corpse, to which the Septuagint rendering, οὐκ ἔδωκα ἀπ αὐτῶν τῷ τεθνηκότι , points. (On Deuteronomy 26:15, see Isaiah 63:15.)
At the close of his discourse, Moses sums up the whole in the earnest admonition that Israel would give the Lord its God occasion to fulfil the promised glorification of His people, by keeping His commandments with all their heart and soul.
Deuteronomy 26:16-17
On this day the Lord commanded Israel to keep these laws and rights with all the heart and all the soul (cf. Deuteronomy 6:5; Deuteronomy 10:12.). There are two important points contained in this (Deuteronomy 26:17.). The acceptance of the laws laid before them on the part of the Israelites involved a practical declaration that the nation would accept Jehovah as its God, and walk in His way (Deuteronomy 26:17); and the giving of the law on the part of the Lord was a practical confirmation of His promise that Israel should be His people of possession, which He would glorify above all nations (Deuteronomy 26:18, Deuteronomy 26:19). “ Thou hast let the Lord say to-day to be thy God ,” i.e., hast given Him occasion to say to thee that He will be thy God, manifest Himself to thee as thy God. “ And to walk in His ways, and to keep His laws ,” etc., for “and that thou wouldst walk in His ways, and keep His laws.” The acceptance of Jehovah as its God involved eo ipso a willingness to walk in His ways.
Deuteronomy 26:18-19
At the same time, Jehovah had caused the people to be told that they were His treasured people of possession, as He had said in Exodus 19:5-6; and that if they kept all His commandments, He would set them highest above all nations whom He had created, “for praise, and for a name, and for glory,” i.e., make them an object of praise, and renown, and glorification of God, the Lord and Creator of Israel, among all nations (vid., Jeremiah 33:9 and Jeremiah 13:11; Jeremiah 3:19-20). “ And that it should become a holy people unto the Lord ,” as He had already said in Exodus 19:6. The sanctification of Israel was the design and end of its divine election, and would be accomplished in the glory to which the people of God were to be exalted (see the commentary on Exodus 19:5-6). The Hiphil האמיר , which is only found here, has no other meaning than this, “to cause a person to say,” or “ give him occasion to say;” and this is perfectly appropriate here, whereas the other meaning suggested, “to exalt,” has no tenable support either in the paraphrastic rendering of these verses in the ancient versions, or in the Hithpael in Psalms 94:4, and moreover is altogether unsuitable in Deuteronomy 26:17.