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Deuteronomio 26

VBL · Chapter 26/34

1Una vez que hayas entrado en el país que el Señor tu Dios te da, y lo tomes y te establezcas allí,

2toma algunas de las primicias de todas tus cosechas producidas por la tierra que el Señor tu Dios te da y ponlas en una cesta. Luego ve al lugar que el Señor tu Dios elija,

3y dile al sacerdote a cargo en ese momento, “Hoy declaro al Señor tu Dios que ahora vivo en el país que el Señor prometió a nuestros antepasados que nos daría”.

4El sacerdote te quitará la cesta y la pondrá delante del altar del Señor tu Dios.

5Entonces esto es lo que debes declarar públicamente ante el Señor tu Dios, “Mi padre era un arameo que andaba de un lugar a otro. Sólo había unos pocos cuando él y su familia se fueron a vivir a Egipto. Pero se convirtieron en una nación grande y poderosa.

6Pero los egipcios nos trataron muy mal, nos oprimieron y nos obligaron a hacer trabajos forzados.

7Clamamos al Señor, el Dios de nuestros antepasados, y el Señor nos respondió al ver cuánto estábamos sufriendo, obligados a trabajar tan duro con tanta crueldad.

8El Señor nos sacó de Egipto con su gran poder y su increíble fuerza y con acciones, señales y milagros aterradores.

9Nos trajo aquí y nos dio este país, una tierra que fluye leche y miel.

10¡Mira, Señor! Te he traído las primicias de la tierra que me has dado”. Colocarás la cesta ante el Señor tu Dios y te inclinarás en adoración ante él.

11Entonces tú, los levitas y los extranjeros que viven contigo celebrarán todas las cosas buenas que el Señor tu Dios te ha dado a ti y a tu familia.

12Cuando terminen de almacenar la décima parte de su cosecha en el tercer año (el año del diezmo), la darán a los levitas, a los extranjeros, a los huérfanos y a las viudas, para que tengan suficiente comida en sus ciudades.

13Entonces harás esta declaración en presencia del Señor tu Dios: “He traído el santo diezmo y se lo he dado al levita, al extranjero, al huérfano y a las viudas como me ordenaste. No he roto ni olvidado tus mandamientos.

14No he comido nada del santo diezmo mientras estaba de luto, ni he tomado nada de él mientras estaba sucio, ni lo he usado como ofrenda para los muertos. He obedecido al Señor mi Dios. He hecho todo lo que me ordenaste hacer.

15Por favor, mira desde tu casa en el cielo y bendice a tu pueblo, los israelitas, y el país que nos has dado, como prometiste a nuestros padres, una tierra que fluye leche y miel”.

16Hoy el Señor, tu Dios, te ordena que cumplas estas preceptos y normas. Asegúrate de seguirlos con toda tu mente y con todo tu ser.

17Hoy has declarado públicamente que el Señor es tu Dios y que seguirás sus caminos, guardarás las reglas y mandamientos y normas, y obedecerás lo que él diga.

18Hoy el Señor ha anunciado que ustedes son un pueblo especial que le pertenece como lo prometió. Ha anunciado que deben guardar todos sus mandamientos.

19Ha anunciado que les dará mayor alabanza, reputación y honor que a cualquier otra nación. Ha anunciado que serán un pueblo santo para el Señor su Dios, como lo prometió.

📖 Chapter study

Summary

Moses institutes the ceremony of firstfruits, in which the Israelite farmer would publicly recite the story of the deliverance from Egypt while bringing the first fruits of the land, and reinforces the giving of the triennial tithe to those in need, closing with a solemn declaration of the mutual covenant between God and Israel.

Explanation

The confession of firstfruits, which quickly sums up all of Israel's history — from 'a Syrian ready to perish was my father' (a reference to Jacob) to the deliverance from Egypt and the entry into the promised land — turned a simple agricultural act of gratitude into a living reaffirmation of the people's historical and spiritual identity, at every harvest. This declaration, repeated generation after generation by each individual farmer, ensured that the collective memory of the deliverance never became merely an abstract story, but an experience personally reaffirmed by every family that brought in its fruits. The chapter formally closes the book's main section of laws with a mutual, reciprocal declaration: Israel declares that the Lord will be their God, and the Lord declares that Israel will be his own treasured people — a solemn, two-sided covenant that sums up the entire relationship established throughout the book.

Fun facts

  • This confession of firstfruits (v. 5-10) is considered by scholars to be one of the possible oldest 'creeds' of Israel — a condensed summary of its history of faith that may have been used liturgically long before it was ever recorded in writing in this form.
  • The opening phrase 'a Syrian ready to perish was my father' most likely refers to Jacob, who lived and worked for many years in Syria/Aram under Laban, showing how Israelite identity acknowledged its humble — and even foreign — roots before becoming a great nation.

Verse-by-verse explanation

  1. Deuteronomio 26:1It opens a new section with the arrival in the promised land as the starting point for a ritual of gratitude.
  2. Deuteronomio 26:2The ceremony of the firstfruits asks the grower to carry the first fruit of the harvest, still in a basket, to the sanctuary: a physical gesture of giving God the first share before keeping the rest for himself.
  3. Deuteronomio 26:3The farmer was to formally declare to the priest that he had finally entered the land sworn to the ancestors.
  4. Deuteronomio 26:4The priest would take the basket of firstfruits and set it down before the altar, as part of the offering ritual.
  5. Deuteronomio 26:5The phrase “A Syrian ready to perish was my father” refers to Jacob, who spent part of his life in Mesopotamia before becoming the father of the twelve tribes. The verse works as a short creed, recited while handing over the firstfruits, telling the whole story of the people in just a few lines.
  6. Deuteronomio 26:6The recited declaration goes on to tell how the Egyptians mistreated the people and enslaved them harshly.
  7. Deuteronomio 26:7It recalls the people’s cry to God in the midst of their suffering, and how God answered, seeing their misery and oppression.
  8. Deuteronomio 26:8It describes the deliverance from Egypt with a mighty hand, an outstretched arm, great terror, signs, and wonders.
  9. Deuteronomio 26:9It closes the historical narrative with the arrival in the promised land, described once again as “a land that floweth with milk and honey.”
  10. Deuteronomio 26:10The declaration ends with the physical handing over of the firstfruits to God, accompanied by a gesture of reverence.
  11. Deuteronomio 26:11The moment was meant to be one of shared joy, including the Levite and the foreigner in celebrating the blessing received.
  12. Deuteronomio 26:12The tithe declaration was a text the giver himself had to recite, affirming that he had done everything correctly and kept nothing improperly for himself: a kind of spoken accounting, made directly before God.
  13. Deuteronomio 26:13It describes another declaration, tied to the three-year tithe: publicly affirming that the sharing with the Levite, the foreigner, the orphan, and the widow was carried out exactly.
  14. Deuteronomio 26:14The declaration includes guaranteeing that none of the tithe was used improperly — not in mourning, not in uncleanness, and not offered to the dead.
  15. Deuteronomio 26:15It ends with a request: that God, from heaven, bless the people and the land promised to the ancestors.
  16. Deuteronomio 26:16It sums up the moment as a call to total obedience, with heart and soul, to the statutes and judgments just given.
  17. Deuteronomio 26:17It describes the people’s commitment that day: accepting the LORD as God and pledging to walk in His ways.
  18. Deuteronomio 26:18It describes God’s mirrored commitment: accepting Israel as His own treasured people, just as He had already promised.
  19. Deuteronomio 26:19It closes the chapter with the promise of exaltation: Israel would be lifted high above all other nations, as a holy people and a source of praise and glory for God.

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