Deuteronomy 26:11 kjv
And thou shalt rejoice in every good thing which the LORD thy God hath given unto thee, and unto thine house, thou, and the Levite, and the stranger that is among you.
Deuteronomy 26:11 nkjv
So you shall rejoice in every good thing which the LORD your God has given to you and your house, you and the Levite and the stranger who is among you.
Deuteronomy 26:11 niv
Then you and the Levites and the foreigners residing among you shall rejoice in all the good things the LORD your God has given to you and your household.
Deuteronomy 26:11 esv
And you shall rejoice in all the good that the LORD your God has given to you and to your house, you, and the Levite, and the sojourner who is among you.
Deuteronomy 26:11 nlt
Afterward you may go and celebrate because of all the good things the LORD your God has given to you and your household. Remember to include the Levites and the foreigners living among you in the celebration.
Deuteronomy 26 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Rejoicing/Joy (Commanded) | ||
| Neh 8:10 | "...the joy of the Lord is your strength." | Joy as strength and God-given. |
| Psa 118:24 | "This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." | Deliberate decision to rejoice in God's doing. |
| Isa 12:3-4 | "Therefore with joy shall ye draw water... Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel..." | Joy in God's salvation and presence. |
| Phil 4:4 | "Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice." | New Testament command to constant joy in Christ. |
| Psa 33:1 | "Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright." | Call to joy as part of righteous living and praise. |
| Luke 10:20 | "...rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven." | Joy found in spiritual blessing, not just temporal. |
| God as Provider/Giver | ||
| Psa 23:1 | "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want." | God as the source of all provision. |
| Matt 6:25-33 | "But seek ye first the kingdom of God... all these things shall be added unto you." | God's provision for those who prioritize His kingdom. |
| Phil 4:19 | "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." | God's abundant supply through Christ. |
| James 1:17 | "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights..." | God as the ultimate giver of every good thing. |
| Sharing with Vulnerable (Levite, Stranger) | ||
| Deut 14:27-29 | "And the Levite... and the stranger... shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied..." | Instruction for tithes to be shared with these groups. |
| Deut 16:11 | "...and thou shalt rejoice before the Lord thy God, thou, and thy son... and the Levite... and the stranger..." | Commanded rejoicing with these groups during feasts. |
| Deut 24:19-22 | Instructions not to glean fully, leaving for the stranger, fatherless, and widow. | Ethical commands for provision for the vulnerable. |
| Zech 7:10 | "And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor..." | Prophetic call for justice towards marginalized groups. |
| Matt 25:35-40 | "...I was a stranger, and ye took me in..." | Jesus identifies with the vulnerable, stressing compassion. |
| James 1:27 | "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world." | Care for the vulnerable as an expression of true faith. |
| Exo 23:9 | "Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger: for ye know the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt." | Basis for care due to Israel's own history. |
| Thanksgiving/Gratitude | ||
| 1 Chr 16:34 | "O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever." | Call to thanksgiving based on God's goodness and mercy. |
| Col 3:17 | "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him." | Call to thanksgiving in all aspects of life. |
| 1 Thes 5:18 | "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." | Universal command to thanksgiving. |
| Context of Offering/Blessing | ||
| Deut 26:1-10 | Firstfruits offering and declaration of gratitude for God's leading. | Immediate context of the verse: an act of worship. |
| Mal 3:10 | "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse... and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing..." | Promise of blessing upon faithful giving. |
| 2 Cor 9:7-8 | "Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver." | New Testament principle of joyful giving and God's provision. |
Deuteronomy 26 verses
Deuteronomy 26 11 Meaning
Deuteronomy 26:11 commands God's people, after offering their firstfruits, to rejoice in all the good things the Lord their God has provided for them and their households. Crucially, this joy is to be shared inclusively with the Levite, who serves God without land inheritance, and the stranger, a vulnerable resident alien, both dwelling within their community. This verse encapsulates commanded joy, divine gratitude, and communal generosity.
Deuteronomy 26 11 Context
Deuteronomy 26 marks a culmination of the laws given by God through Moses, following instructions regarding curses and blessings (Deuteronomy 27-28). It is framed as an address just before Israel enters the Promised Land. The chapter details two significant ceremonies: the presentation of firstfruits (verses 1-11) and the tithing of the third year (verses 12-15).
Verse 11 is embedded within the firstfruits ritual. After the Israelite has brought the best of their land's produce to the designated place of worship, recited a historical confession of God's deliverance from Egyptian slavery, and declared God's faithfulness in bringing them to a land flowing with milk and honey, they are then commanded to rejoice. This act of worship is not meant to be a solemn obligation but a joyous celebration of God's covenantal provision. Historically, the command to care for the Levite and stranger aligns with numerous other Deuteronomic laws emphasizing social justice and communal responsibility, especially given Israel's own past as sojourners in Egypt. It portrays a covenant community whose blessing from God necessarily leads to sharing and joyful inclusion.
Deuteronomy 26 11 Word analysis
- And: (וְ, ve) A simple conjunction, connecting this command of rejoicing to the preceding act of bringing firstfruits and making a grateful declaration. It shows the logical continuation from worship to celebration.
- thou shalt rejoice: (וְשָׂמַחְתָּ, ve'samachta) From the Hebrew verb שָׂמַח (samach). This is an imperative, a direct command from God. It's not merely permission but an expectation to cultivate inner gladness and outwardly express it. Samach denotes deep, intrinsic joy and happiness, often associated with feasting, celebrations, and divine favor. It signifies that joy is an active response, not a passive emotion.
- in all: (בְּכָל־, b'khol) Means "in everything," "in the entirety of." This highlights the comprehensiveness of the blessings, acknowledging that every good aspect of life comes from God.
- the good things: (הַטּוֹבָה, ha'tovah) From the Hebrew word טוֹבָה (tovah), meaning goodness, well-being, prosperity, welfare, blessings. It encompasses not only the bountiful harvest but all aspects of life that reflect God's gracious provision—health, family, peace, and security.
- which the Lord thy God: (אֲשֶׁר נָתַן יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, asher natan YHVH Eloheicha) Clearly attributes the source of all blessings to YHVH, the covenant God of Israel. It emphasizes divine grace and ownership over human effort. The phrase "Lord thy God" ("YHVH Eloheicha") highlights the personal, covenantal relationship God has with His people.
- hath given: (נָתַן, natan) The Hebrew verb natan means "to give, put, set." It stresses God's generosity as a free act of love and faithfulness, contrasting with any pagan belief that gods needed to be appeased or coerced into granting blessings.
- unto thee, and unto thine house: (לְךָ וּלְבֵיתֶךָ, l'kha u'l'veitecha) Denotes that the blessings are both personal and communal, extending to the entire family or household unit, the basic structure of Israelite society.
- thou, and the Levite: (אַתָּה וְהַלֵּוִי, atah v'haLevi) The "Levite" (לֵוִי, Levi) belongs to the priestly tribe designated for service to God, without land inheritance in Israel. Their livelihood depended on the tithes and offerings of other tribes. Including them emphasizes shared sustenance and the support of religious ministry.
- and the stranger: (וְהַגֵּר, v'haGer) The "stranger" (גֵּר, ger) refers to a resident alien, a sojourner living among the Israelites who was not part of the Abrahamic covenant by birth. Lacking inherited land or familial support structures, they were particularly vulnerable. God repeatedly commands Israel to care for the ger, remembering their own past as strangers in Egypt. This inclusion underscores radical hospitality and social justice rooted in theological memory.
- that is among you: (אֲשֶׁר בְּקִרְבֶּךָ, asher b'kirbekha) Affirms the immediate presence of the Levite and stranger within the Israelite community, emphasizing that these vulnerable members are not distant but integrated into their midst and thus part of their shared life and blessings.
- And thou shalt rejoice in all the good things: This phrase commands a mindset of joyful gratitude, transforming the act of worship from a mere duty into a celebratory acknowledgement of God's abundant kindness. The "good things" encompass a holistic view of God's blessing, moving beyond just material wealth.
- which the Lord thy God hath given unto thee, and unto thine house: This clause clearly defines the source and scope of the blessing. It positions YHVH as the benevolent Giver, negating any self-reliance or assumption that blessings are earned by human effort alone. It also roots the gratitude in God's specific covenant relationship with His people and their families.
- thou, and the Levite, and the stranger that is among you: This section expands the focus beyond the individual and family, establishing a communal and ethical dimension to the joy and thanksgiving. It instills the principle that blessings from God are to be shared, specifically with those most dependent on God's provision and the community's generosity, reflecting God's own heart for the marginalized.
Deuteronomy 26 11 Bonus section
The act of rejoicing with the Levite and the stranger highlights the counter-cultural nature of the Mosaic law in a world often characterized by self-interest and exclusion. It functions as a polemic against the hoarding of blessings or seeing wealth solely as a personal accomplishment. This verse also foreshadows the New Testament emphasis on joyful giving and shared community, as seen in the early church's practice of sharing resources and rejoicing together (Acts 2:44-47, Acts 4:32-35). The specific mention of "thy house" reinforces the family as the primary unit for both receiving God's blessing and practicing hospitality. This commanded joy rooted in divine provision provides a framework for genuine spiritual life, where gratitude translates into generosity, embodying God's character of loving-kindness.
Deuteronomy 26 11 Commentary
Deuteronomy 26:11 reveals the profound spiritual truth that genuine worship extends beyond mere ritual to embody joyful gratitude and practical compassion. After offering firstfruits as an acknowledgment of God's prior action in deliverance and provision, Israel is commanded not just to give thanks, but to actively rejoice. This commanded joy, samach, is not fleeting emotion but a deliberate, internal, and often outward, expression of gladness, affirming God's unfailing goodness in all areas of life. The core principle is that every good thing comes as a gift from "the Lord thy God," dismantling any notion of human achievement or deservingness. This theological understanding directly leads to ethical action: the command for this joy and its accompanying bounty to be shared. The inclusion of the Levite, dependent on the community for their livelihood due to their sacred service, and the stranger, a vulnerable outsider relying on the community's hospitality, underscores God's deep concern for social equity. The shared meal and shared joy embody a covenant relationship where receiving God's blessing necessarily transforms the heart to include and care for others, preventing self-centeredness and fostering a true communal celebration of divine beneficence. It illustrates that spiritual devotion is inseparable from social responsibility.