Deuteronomy 26 1

Deuteronomy 26:1 kjv

And it shall be, when thou art come in unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and possessest it, and dwellest therein;

Deuteronomy 26:1 nkjv

"And it shall be, when you come into the land which the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, and you possess it and dwell in it,

Deuteronomy 26:1 niv

When you have entered the land the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance and have taken possession of it and settled in it,

Deuteronomy 26:1 esv

"When you come into the land that the LORD your God is giving you for an inheritance and have taken possession of it and live in it,

Deuteronomy 26:1 nlt

"When you enter the land the LORD your God is giving you as a special possession and you have conquered it and settled there,

Deuteronomy 26 verses

Deuteronomy 26 1 Meaning

Deuteronomy 26:1 establishes the prerequisite condition for the subsequent instruction regarding the offering of firstfruits. It declares that when the Israelites have entered the land which the LORD their God is granting them as an enduring possession, and have actively taken hold of it and established permanent dwelling within it, then the following commandments concerning the presentation of their initial harvest will apply. The verse emphasizes that this land is a divine gift, not merely conquered territory, but one that requires their active participation in its acquisition and settlement.

Deuteronomy 26 1 Context

Deuteronomy 26:1 stands at the beginning of a section (chapters 26-28) that shifts focus from general legal stipulations to specific ritual commands and the comprehensive blessings and curses associated with covenant obedience. It acts as a transitional verse, bridging the detailed instructions for daily life and worship with the communal rituals that celebrate Israel's entry into the promised land.

Historically, this verse addresses the generation born in the wilderness, on the verge of entering Canaan. It presupposes the fulfillment of God's promise to their ancestors. Moses is reiterating and preparing the people for life in the land, emphasizing their direct responsibility to observe God's laws once they are established. The mention of "the land" carries profound significance as the tangible fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant and the ultimate goal of their forty-year wilderness journey. The context implicitly contrasts Israel's God-given inheritance with the land acquisition practices and pagan worship associated with the Canaanite inhabitants, whose very existence in the land depended on the favor of their local deities, often through various agricultural rituals. For Israel, the land is a gift from Yahweh, their God, demanding an acknowledgment of His sole sovereignty and provision.

Deuteronomy 26 1 Word analysis

• And it shall be (וְהָיָה - v'haya): This common Hebrew idiom signifies "and it happened" or "and it will come to pass," setting a condition or marking the commencement of a future event. It introduces the certainty of God's promise regarding the land's possession.
• when thou art come in (כִּי תָבוֹא - ki tavo): "When you enter/come into." This phrase emphasizes the physical act of entering the land. It denotes a decisive moment and human participation in realizing God's promise. It's not passive reception but active engagement.
• unto the land (אֶל הָאָרֶץ - el ha'aretz): Refers specifically to the promised land of Canaan. The definite article "the" indicates a particular, well-known destination.
• which the LORD thy God giveth thee (אֲשֶׁר יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לְךָ - asher Yahweh Eloheykha noten lekha): This is a pivotal theological statement.
  • The LORD (יְהוָה - Yahweh): God's covenant name, signifying His personal relationship with Israel and His unchanging faithfulness to His promises.
  • thy God (אֱלֹהֶיךָ - Eloheykha): Emphasizes the exclusive and intimate covenant bond between God and Israel. It underscores that these blessings flow from their specific, chosen God.
  • giveth (נֹתֵן - noten): Present participle, meaning "is giving" or "will give," stressing that the land is an active, gracious bestowal from God. It highlights divine initiative and generosity, foundational to Israel's claim, not human conquest alone.
• for an inheritance (נַחֲלָה - nachalah): A profound term signifying a permanent, divinely allotted possession or patrimony. It implies a legal, perpetual right to the land, passed down through generations. This is more than temporary occupation; it is a sacred, unalienable trust from God, linked to their very identity and future.
• and hast possessed it (וִירִשְׁתָּהּ - viyrishtah): From the verb יָרַשׁ (yarash), meaning "to inherit" or "to take possession of," often in the sense of dispossessing others. This indicates the active, forceful, and necessary human endeavor of driving out the current inhabitants and establishing control, following God's command and with His enabling power.
• and dwellest therein (וְיָשַׁבְתָּ בָּהּ - v'yashavta bah): From the verb יָשַׁב (yashav), "to settle" or "to reside permanently." This signifies the culmination of the process: not just entering and possessing, but establishing security, stability, and enduring habitation. It implies a settled life in the land, marking the end of the wilderness wandering.

• "when thou art come in unto the land...and hast possessed it, and dwellest therein": This sequence of actions—entering, possessing, and dwelling—presents a divinely ordained progression. It emphasizes that the fulfillment of God's promise of a land involved both God's faithful gifting and Israel's active obedience and participation. Entry is followed by taking ownership, which leads to stable habitation.
• "which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance": This phrase highlights the divine origin and nature of Israel's claim to the land. It counters any human pride or self-sufficiency, ensuring that Israel would remember their dependency on God's grace for their dwelling place. The "inheritance" concept stresses the land as a generational trust and a permanent fixture of their identity rooted in God's faithfulness.

Deuteronomy 26 1 Bonus section

The juxtaposition of God "giving" the land and Israel "possessing" it encapsulates a core biblical truth: divine sovereignty does not negate human responsibility. God's promise is sure, but its realization requires obedient action on the part of His people. The phrase "the LORD thy God" constantly reinforces the covenant relationship that binds God to Israel and Israel to God, highlighting that all blessings, including the land, flow from this unique relationship. Furthermore, the land as an "inheritance" carries a strong eschatological and typological weight throughout Scripture. In the New Testament, the physical land of Canaan often serves as a type for the greater, spiritual inheritance and "rest" that believers receive in Christ—a heavenly country, eternal life, and co-heirship with Christ, emphasizing grace and divine gifting over human effort. The ceremonial law of firstfruits, triggered by this verse, was a concrete and public expression of Israel's recognition that Yahweh alone was the source of their life, livelihood, and national existence in the land, directly confronting any polytheistic leanings to local deities who were believed to control harvests.

Deuteronomy 26 1 Commentary

Deuteronomy 26:1 serves as a foundational declaration, setting the stage for one of the most significant expressions of Israel's worship in the land: the bringing of firstfruits. It first underscores the certainty of God's covenant promise ("And it shall be")—He will bring them into the land. Critically, it describes the land as an inheritance, emphasizing that its possession is a gracious gift from the LORD, not merely a conquest achieved by human might. This theological perspective counters any pride and ensures ongoing gratitude. However, God's gift still requires active human response: "thou art come in," "hast possessed it," and "dwellest therein." This implies that Israel must exert effort in faith to enter, dispossess, and establish a permanent settlement. Only after this fulfillment of the promise and their established residency can the ritual of firstfruits, acknowledging God's provision for their agricultural bounty, be performed. It is a vital preparation for future covenantal observances rooted in recognition of God's faithfulness and provision.