Give the Lord the First Part of Your Harvest
Moses said to Israel:
1 The Lord is giving you the land, and soon you will conquer it, settle down, 2 and plant crops. And when you begin harvesting each of your crops, the very first things you pick must be put in a basket. Take them to the place where the Lord your God chooses to be worshiped, 3 and tell the priest, “Long ago the Lord our God promised our ancestors that he would give us this land. And today, I thank him for keeping his promise and giving me a share of the land.”
4 The priest will take the basket and set it in front of the Lord's altar. 5 Then, standing there in front of the place of worship, you must pray:
My ancestor was homeless,
an Aramean who went to live
in Egypt.
There were only a few
in his family then,
but they became great
and powerful,
a nation of many people.
6 The Egyptians were cruel
and had no pity on us.
They mistreated our people
and forced us into slavery.
7 We called out for help
to you, the Lord God
of our ancestors.
You heard our cries;
you knew we were in trouble
and abused.
8 Then you terrified the Egyptians
with your mighty miracles
and rescued us from Egypt.
9 You brought us here
and gave us this land
rich with milk and honey.
10 Now, Lord, I bring to you
the best of the crops
that you have given me.
After you say these things, place the basket in front of the Lord's altar and bow down to worship him.
11 Then you and your family must celebrate by eating a meal at the place of worship to thank the Lord your God for giving you such a good harvest. And remember to invite the Levites and the foreigners who live in your town.
Ten Percent of the Harvest
Moses said to Israel:
12 Every year you are to give ten percent of your harvest to the Lord. But every third year, this ten percent must be given to the poor who live in your town, including Levites, foreigners, orphans, and widows. That way, they will have enough to eat. 13 Then you must pray:
Our Lord and our God, you have said that ten percent of my harvest is sacred. I have obeyed your command and given this to the poor, including the Levites, foreigners, orphans, and widows.
14 I have not eaten any of this sacred food while I was in mourning; in fact, I never touched it when I was unclean. And none of it has been offered as a sacrifice to the spirits of the dead. I have done everything exactly as you commanded.
15 Our Lord, look down from your temple in heaven and bless us and our land. You promised our ancestors that you would give us this land rich with milk and honey, and you have kept your promise.
The Lord Is Your God, and You Are His People
Moses said to Israel:
16 Today the Lord your God has commanded you to obey these laws and teachings with all your heart and soul.
17 In response, you have agreed that the Lord will be your God, that you will obey all his laws and teachings, and that you will listen when he speaks to you.
18 Since you have agreed to obey the Lord, he has agreed that you will be his people and that you will belong to him, just as he promised. 19 The Lord created all nations, but he will make you more famous than any of them, and you will receive more praise and honor. You will belong only to the Lord your God, just as he promised.
1 Also when thou shalt come into the lande which the Lord thy God giueth thee for inheritance, and shalt possesse it, and dwell therein, 2 Then shalt thou take of the first of all the fruite of the earth, and bring it out of the lande that the Lord thy God giueth thee, and put it in a basket, and goe vnto the place, which the Lord thy God shall chose to place his Name there. 3 And thou shalt come vnto the Priest, that shall be in those dayes, and say vnto him, I acknowledge this day vnto the Lord thy God, that I am come vnto the countrey which the Lord sware vnto our fathers for to giue vs. 4 Then the Priest shall take the basket out of thine hand, and set it downe before the altar of the Lord thy God. 5 And thou shalt answere and say before the Lord thy God, A Syrian was my father, who being ready to perish for hunger, went downe into Egypt, and soiourned there with a small company, and grew there vnto a nation great, mightie and full of people. 6 And the Egyptians vexed vs, and troubled vs, and laded vs with cruell bondage. 7 But when we cried vnto the Lord God of our fathers, the Lord heard our voyce, and looked on our aduersitie, and on our labour, and on our oppression. 8 And the Lord brought vs out of Egypt in a mightie hande, and a stretched out arme, with great terriblenesse, both in signes and wonders. 9 And he hath brought vs into this place, and hath giuen vs this land, euen a lande that floweth with milke and hony. 10 And now, lo, I haue brought ye first fruites of the land which thou, O Lord, hast giuen me, and thou shalt set it before the Lord thy God, and worship before the Lord thy God: 11 And thou shalt reioyce in all the good things which the Lord thy God hath giuen vnto thee and to thine houshold, thou and the Leuite, and the stranger that is among you. 12 When thou hast made an end of tithing all the tythes of thine increase, the thirde yeere, which is the yeere of tithing, and hast giuen it vnto the Leuite, to the stranger, to the fatherlesse, and to the widowe, that they may eate within thy gates, and be satisfied, 13 Then thou shalt say before the Lord thy God, I haue brought the halowed thing out of mine house, and also haue giuen it vnto the Leuites and to the strangers, to the fatherlesse, and to the widow, according to all thy comandements which thou hast commanded me: I haue transgressed none of thy comandements, nor forgotten them. 14 I haue not eaten therof in my mourning, nor suffred ought to perish through vncleannes, nor giuen ought thereof for the dead, but haue hearkened vnto the voyce of the Lord my God: I haue done after al that thou hast comaded me. 15 Looke downe from thine holy habitation, euen from heauen, and blesse thy people Israel, and the lande which thou hast giuen vs (as thou swarest vnto our fathers) the land that floweth with milke and hony. 16 This day the Lord thy God doeth command thee to do these ordinances, and lawes: keepe them therefore, and do them with al thine heart, and with all thy soule. 17 Thou hast set vp the Lord this day to be thy God, and to walke in his wayes, and to keepe his ordinances, and his commandements, and his lawes, and to hearken vnto his voyce. 18 And the Lord hath set thee vp this day, to be a precious people vnto him (as hee hath promised thee) and that thou shouldest keepe all his commandements, 19 And to make thee high aboue al nations (which he hath made) in praise, and in name, and in glory, and that thou shouldest be an holy people vnto the Lord thy God, as he hath said.