Deuteronomy 26:2

Authorized King James Version

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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.

Original Language Analysis

וְלָֽקַחְתָּ֞ That thou shalt take H3947
וְלָֽקַחְתָּ֞ That thou shalt take
Strong's: H3947
Word #: 1 of 25
to take (in the widest variety of applications)
מֵֽרֵאשִׁ֣ית׀ of the first H7225
מֵֽרֵאשִׁ֣ית׀ of the first
Strong's: H7225
Word #: 2 of 25
the first, in place, time, order or rank (specifically, a firstfruit)
כָּל H3605
כָּל
Strong's: H3605
Word #: 3 of 25
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
פְּרִ֣י of all the fruit H6529
פְּרִ֣י of all the fruit
Strong's: H6529
Word #: 4 of 25
fruit (literally or figuratively)
הָֽאֲדָמָ֗ה of the earth H127
הָֽאֲדָמָ֗ה of the earth
Strong's: H127
Word #: 5 of 25
soil (from its general redness)
אֲשֶׁ֨ר H834
אֲשֶׁ֨ר
Strong's: H834
Word #: 6 of 25
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc
תָּבִ֧יא which thou shalt bring H935
תָּבִ֧יא which thou shalt bring
Strong's: H935
Word #: 7 of 25
to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)
מֵֽאַרְצְךָ֛ of thy land H776
מֵֽאַרְצְךָ֛ of thy land
Strong's: H776
Word #: 8 of 25
the earth (at large, or partitively a land)
אֲשֶׁ֨ר H834
אֲשֶׁ֨ר
Strong's: H834
Word #: 9 of 25
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc
יְהוָ֣ה that the LORD H3068
יְהוָ֣ה that the LORD
Strong's: H3068
Word #: 10 of 25
(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god
אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ thy God H430
אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ thy God
Strong's: H430
Word #: 11 of 25
gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme god; occasionally applied by way of
נֹתֵ֥ן giveth H5414
נֹתֵ֥ן giveth
Strong's: H5414
Word #: 12 of 25
to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)
לָ֖ךְ H0
לָ֖ךְ
Strong's: H0
Word #: 13 of 25
וְשַׂמְתָּ֣ thee and shalt put H7760
וְשַׂמְתָּ֣ thee and shalt put
Strong's: H7760
Word #: 14 of 25
to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and elliptically)
בַטֶּ֑נֶא it in a basket H2935
בַטֶּ֑נֶא it in a basket
Strong's: H2935
Word #: 15 of 25
a basket (of interlaced osiers)
וְהָֽלַכְתָּ֙ and shalt go H1980
וְהָֽלַכְתָּ֙ and shalt go
Strong's: H1980
Word #: 16 of 25
to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)
אֶל H413
אֶל
Strong's: H413
Word #: 17 of 25
near, with or among; often in general, to
הַמָּק֔וֹם unto the place H4725
הַמָּק֔וֹם unto the place
Strong's: H4725
Word #: 18 of 25
properly, a standing, i.e., a spot; but used widely of a locality (general or specific); also (figuratively) of a condition (of body or mind)
אֲשֶׁ֤ר H834
אֲשֶׁ֤ר
Strong's: H834
Word #: 19 of 25
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc
יִבְחַר֙ shall choose H977
יִבְחַר֙ shall choose
Strong's: H977
Word #: 20 of 25
properly, to try, i.e., (by implication) select
יְהוָ֣ה that the LORD H3068
יְהוָ֣ה that the LORD
Strong's: H3068
Word #: 21 of 25
(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god
אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ thy God H430
אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ thy God
Strong's: H430
Word #: 22 of 25
gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme god; occasionally applied by way of
לְשַׁכֵּ֥ן to place H7931
לְשַׁכֵּ֥ן to place
Strong's: H7931
Word #: 23 of 25
to reside or permanently stay (literally or figuratively)
שְׁמ֖וֹ his name H8034
שְׁמ֖וֹ his name
Strong's: H8034
Word #: 24 of 25
an appellation, as a mark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority, character
שָֽׁם׃ H8033
שָֽׁם׃
Strong's: H8033
Word #: 25 of 25
there (transferring to time) then; often thither, or thence

Cross References

Exodus 23:19The first of the firstfruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the house of the LORD thy God. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's milk.Exodus 23:16And the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours, which thou hast sown in the field: and the feast of ingathering, which is in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field.Exodus 34:26The first of the firstfruits of thy land thou shalt bring unto the house of the LORD thy God. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's milk.Romans 11:16For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.Romans 8:23And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.1 Corinthians 15:20But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.1 Corinthians 16:2Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.Deuteronomy 16:10And thou shalt keep the feast of weeks unto the LORD thy God with a tribute of a freewill offering of thine hand, which thou shalt give unto the LORD thy God, according as the LORD thy God hath blessed thee:Ezekiel 20:40For in mine holy mountain, in the mountain of the height of Israel, saith the Lord GOD, there shall all the house of Israel, all of them in the land, serve me: there will I accept them, and there will I require your offerings, and the firstfruits of your oblations, with all your holy things.Ezekiel 44:30And the first of all the firstfruits of all things, and every oblation of all, of every sort of your oblations, shall be the priest's: ye shall also give unto the priest the first of your dough, that he may cause the blessing to rest in thine house.

Analysis & Commentary

Thou shalt take of the first of all the fruit of the earth (reshit kol-peri ha'adamah)—not merely some firstfruits but from the first, the choicest portion. The Hebrew reshit carries priority and preeminence; offering firstfruits acknowledges God's ownership and tests whether Israel trusts Him for continued provision. To consume the harvest before offering firstfruits presumes self-sufficiency and denies divine dependence.

The requirement to put it in a basket (tene) and go unto the place which the LORD thy God shall choose to place his name there mandates pilgrimage to the central sanctuary. This centralizes worship, preventing syncretism with local Canaanite shrines. The phrase leshakken shemo sham ("to cause His name to dwell there") signifies YHWH's special presence—not that God is confined spatially, but that He meets His people at this appointed location.

The basket imagery appears again in Deuteronomy 28:5, 17 in the blessings and curses. Faithful firstfruits offering yields blessed baskets; covenant disobedience brings cursed baskets. The ceremony links agricultural prosperity directly to covenant fidelity.

Historical Context

Firstfruits festivals were widespread in the ancient Near East, but Israel's ritual distinctively combined agricultural thanksgiving with recitation of exodus deliverance. The practice anticipated settlement in Canaan's agricultural economy, contrasting with wilderness manna which required no cultivation. The central sanctuary requirement prevented the proliferation of local shrines where Canaanite religious practices might corrupt Yahwistic worship—a concern validated by Israel's later history of syncretism at local 'high places.'

Questions for Reflection

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