And the Egyptians evil entreated us ,.... Ordered their male children to be killed by the midwives, and by another edict to be drowned by the people: and afflicted us ; by setting taskmasters over them, who put heavy burdens upon them: and laid upon us hard bondage ; in mortar and brick, and all manner of field service, in which they made them serve with rigour, and whereby their lives were made bitter; see Exodus 1:9 . read more
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 12:1-32 .), 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... read more
Joy in the use of temporal mercies; or, sanctification of our possessions to God warrants a holy joy in the use of them. The order of thought is this: 1. In due time Israel would be in possession of the land which the Lord promised to give them. 2. Of this comfortable possession the gathering of the fruits thereof would be the proof and sign. 3. In accordance with a well-understood law, the firstfruits were to be offered to God (see reference). 4. In thus offering the... read more
The presentation of the first fruits. This interesting ceremony: 1. Reminded the individual that the land and its fruits were God's. 2. Required from him a devout acknowledgment of the fact, with a gift in which the acknowledgment was suitably embodied. 3. Threw him back on the recollection of God's former mercies to his nation. 4. Secured a confession and rehearsal of these from his own lips. It served: 1. To create and deepen religious feeling. 2. To quicken... read more
Commemorations of national deliverance. An instinct in man impels him to dwell with pleasure on his national beginnings and growth; and, in cases where that beginning sprang out from a specific event, that event has been the subject of public commemoration year by year. Of this Rome is a conspicuous instance. But the Jews were designed to be eminently a religious people; hence this commemoration was to be a simple act of piety—the presentation of firstfruits. I. MAN IS THE ... read more
The dedication of the firstfruits. A beautiful religious service is here associated with the dedication of the firstfruits. It was to be an act of worship. There was to be the appearance before the priest, the acknowledgment of God's great bounty to the forefathers as well as to the worshipper himself, the presentation of the firstfruits as a return of God's gifts to him, the setting of the basket before God, and the rejoicing in the Divine presence. All this is surely typical. I. ... read more
The Egyptians evil entreated us (cf. Exodus 1:11-22 ; Exodus 2:23 , etc.). read more
Declarations by Israel and by God (26:1-19)The first harvest season after the Israelites settled in Canaan would be of particular importance, bringing to a climax the fulfilment of God’s promise to Israel of a permanent homeland (26:1-4). The harvest firstfruits offered to God on this occasion would have special significance as the people recalled their humble beginnings, their slavery in Egypt, and the miraculous release that allowed them to possess the land God had prepared for them... read more
The presentation of the firstfruits 26:1-11When the Israelites entered the land they were to bring a special offering of firstfruits they harvested from the land to Yahweh at the tabernacle (cf. Deuteronomy 14:22-27). It was to be an expression of their gratitude to God for fulfilling His promise to bring them into the land. This was to be a combination of the feast of Firstfruits and a ceremony of covenant renewal. [Note: W. J. Dumbrell, Covenant and Creation, p. 116.] They were to remember... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Deuteronomy 26:1-11
Here is, I. A good work ordered to be done, and that is the presenting of a basket of their first-fruits to God every year, Deut. 26:1, 2. Besides the sheaf of first-fruits, which was offered for the whole land, on the morrow after the passover (Lev. 23:10), every man was to bring for himself a basket of first-fruits at the feast of pentecost, when the harvest was ended, which is therefore called the feast of first-fruits (Exod. 34:22), and is said to be kept with a tribute of... read more