Deuteronomy 26:4 kjv
And the priest shall take the basket out of thine hand, and set it down before the altar of the LORD thy God.
Deuteronomy 26:4 nkjv
"Then the priest shall take the basket out of your hand and set it down before the altar of the LORD your God.
Deuteronomy 26:4 niv
The priest shall take the basket from your hands and set it down in front of the altar of the LORD your God.
Deuteronomy 26:4 esv
Then the priest shall take the basket from your hand and set it down before the altar of the LORD your God.
Deuteronomy 26:4 nlt
The priest will then take the basket from your hand and set it before the altar of the LORD your God.
Deuteronomy 26 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ex 23:19 | "The best of the firstfruits of your ground you shall bring into the house of the LORD your God..." | Instruction for firstfruits offerings. |
| Ex 34:26 | "The best of the firstfruits of your ground you shall bring to the house of the LORD your God..." | Reiteration of firstfruits command. |
| Lev 2:14 | "If you offer a grain offering of firstfruits to the LORD, you shall offer for the grain offering of your firstfruits fresh ears..." | Specific instruction on grain firstfruits. |
| Num 18:12 | "All the best of the oil and all the best of the wine and of the grain, the firstfruits of what they give to the LORD, I give to you." | Firstfruits designated for priests. |
| Prov 3:9 | "Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce." | General principle of honoring God with first and best. |
| Rom 8:23 | "And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly..." | Believers as firstfruits of the Spirit. |
| 1 Cor 15:20 | "But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep." | Christ as the ultimate Firstfruits of resurrection. |
| 1 Cor 15:23 | "But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ." | Order of resurrection, Christ leading. |
| Jas 1:18 | "Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures." | Believers as spiritual firstfruits of new creation. |
| Rev 14:4 | "These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These have been redeemed from mankind as firstfruits for God and the Lamb..." | The redeemed as specific firstfruits to God. |
| Dt 12:5-7 | "...to the place that the LORD your God will choose...there you shall bring your burnt offerings and your sacrifices..." | Centralization of worship and offerings. |
| Dt 12:11-12 | "...to the place that the LORD your God will choose, to make his name dwell there...you shall bring all that I command you..." | Emphasizes specific place for offerings. |
| Ex 29:24-25 | "You shall place them all in the hands of Aaron and in the hands of his sons...And you shall take them from their hands..." | Priests handling specific offerings before God. |
| Lev 7:30 | "...that he may wave it for a wave offering before the LORD." | Priest's action in presenting offerings. |
| Num 18:8 | "Then the LORD spoke to Aaron, 'Behold, I have given you charge of My contributions, all the consecrated things...'" | Priest's special portion from offerings. |
| Dt 5:1 | "And Moses summoned all Israel and said to them, 'Hear, O Israel, the statutes and the rules that I speak in your hearing today...'" | Setting for covenant renewal and commands. |
| Psa 100:4 | "Enter His gates with thanksgiving; go into His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and praise His name." | Encouragement to offer thanksgiving. |
| Psa 24:1 | "The earth is the LORD's and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein." | God's absolute ownership of all things. |
| Col 1:16-17 | "For by Him all things were created...all things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things..." | Christ's sovereignty and ownership. |
| Heb 9:11-14 | "But when Christ appeared as a high priest...He entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats..." | Christ's superior priestly work. |
| Zec 6:11-12 | "Take from them...and make crowns...on the head of Joshua, the son of Jehozadak, the high priest...Behold, the man whose name is the Branch..." | Foreshadows the high priest role and Messiah. |
| Mal 3:10 | "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house. And test Me now in this..." | Principle of wholehearted giving to God. |
| Rom 11:16 | "If the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole lump, and if the root is holy, so are the branches." | Metaphorical truth of holiness originating from firstfruits. |
| Dt 26:10 | "And now, behold, I have brought the first of the produce of the ground that you, O LORD, have given me." | Confession accompanying the offering. |
Deuteronomy 26 verses
Deuteronomy 26 4 Meaning
Deuteronomy 26:4 outlines a crucial procedural step in the annual firstfruits offering ceremony in ancient Israel. After the worshiper brings the designated basket of firstfruits to the central sanctuary, the priest, acting as an intermediary, takes the basket from the worshiper's hand and solemnly places it before the altar of the LORD. This action signifies the official presentation and acceptance of the offering by God, marking the transition from the worshiper's personal act of bringing to the divine acceptance through the priestly office. It underscores the holiness of the offering and the reverence due to God's presence.
Deuteronomy 26 4 Context
Deuteronomy 26 marks the beginning of a new section in Moses' address to Israel, detailing specific rituals and obligations once they enter the promised land. Chapters 12-25 primarily deal with laws, while chapter 26 provides cultic ceremonies emphasizing Israel's covenant relationship with God and their gratitude for His provision.
Verses 1-11 describe the offering of firstfruits, specifically when the Israelites first enter and take possession of the land and begin to harvest its produce. This annual ritual required bringing the "first of all the fruit of the ground" to a central place of worship that the LORD would choose (later identified as Jerusalem). The immediate preceding verses (Dt 26:1-3) instruct the individual worshiper to bring their firstfruits in a basket to the priest. Verse 4 details the priest's essential role in accepting and presenting this offering on behalf of the worshiper, followed by a communal confession (Dt 26:5-10) and then celebration. This act reinforced Israel's recognition that the land and its abundance were a gift from God, rather than a result of their own efforts, serving as a powerful counter-narrative to the idolatrous practices of surrounding pagan nations who worshiped Baal or other gods of fertility.
Deuteronomy 26 4 Word analysis
- Then: Wĕhāyā (וְהָיָה), a common Hebrew conjunction signifying sequence or consequence. Here, it indicates the next procedural step in the ritual, showing that the priest's action immediately follows the worshiper's arrival and presentation. It highlights a precise liturgical flow.
- the priest: Hakkōhēn (הַכֹּהֵן). Refers to the Levitical priest on duty at the central sanctuary. The priest served as an essential intermediary, validating and facilitating the worshiper's interaction with God. His presence ensures proper observance and holiness of the act. The singular emphasizes a designated priestly figure, not any Israelite.
- shall take: Wĕlāqaḥ (וְלָקַח). From the root laqaḥ (לָקַח), meaning to take, receive, seize, or acquire. This active verb emphasizes the priest's role in accepting the offering. It signifies an official transfer of the sacred offering from the worshiper’s hand to the domain of the sanctuary. This act wasn't casual; it was a deliberate priestly function, a step towards divine acceptance.
- the basket: Haṭṭene' (הַטֶּנֶא). From the root ṭene' (טֶנֶא), a basket, often made of wicker, specifically used for fruits or vegetables. It emphasizes the practical container of the firstfruits, highlighting the materiality of the offering, yet also its symbolic nature as the initial portion of the harvest. It makes the offering tangible and orderly.
- from your hand: Miydĕḵā (מִיָּדֶךָ). Lit. "from your hand" (singular). This phrase signifies the direct physical transfer of the basket from the individual Israelite worshiper to the priest. It emphasizes the personal involvement and humble surrender of the offering. It's a symbolic gesture of the worshiper's willing devotion and dependence.
- and set it down: Wĕhinnîhō' (וְהִנִּיחוֹ). From the root nûaḥ (נוּחַ), meaning to rest, settle, cause to rest, deposit. This verb describes the priest's action of placing the basket down. It conveys intentionality and reverence. It's not a mere discarding but a ceremonial deposition in the presence of God. This action signifies making the offering accessible and visible before the divine.
- before: Liphnê (לִפְנֵי). Lit. "before the face of," "in the presence of." This preposition indicates direct proximity and visibility to the altar. It highlights the solemn and public nature of the act, signifying that the offering is brought into the sacred space and presence of the LORD.
- the altar: Hammizbêaḥ (הַמִּזְבֵּחַ). The central sacrificial altar, symbolizing God's presence, holiness, and the place where communion and atonement are made. It's the designated place for sacred offerings. By setting the basket before the altar, the firstfruits were brought into God's immediate sphere, a place of divine reception and acceptance. This specific instruction counters the diffuse pagan practices of offerings at many local high places, emphasizing centralized worship.
- of the LORD: YHWH (יְהוָה). The covenant name of God, indicating His sovereign ownership and authority. It stresses that the offering is dedicated to the One true God, not to any other deity. This directly opposes the worship of fertility gods prevalent in Canaan, asserting that Yahweh alone is the source of all fruitfulness. The offering acknowledges Him as the ultimate Provider.
Deuteronomy 26 4 Bonus section
The specific act of the priest taking the basket and placing it before the altar also symbolizes God's condescension and reception of His people's worship. The priest’s hands are an extension of the divine acceptance. In a culture where physical contact often conveyed transfer of ownership or status, this hand-to-hand transition underscores the formal offering and the priestly sanction of the gift. The phrase "before the altar" means literally "before the face" or "in the presence of," indicating the offering's direct exposure to the divine gaze, signifying that God Himself witnesses and receives the dedication. This detail highlights the direct communion facilitated by the cultic system and priest, anticipating the perfect mediation provided by Christ.
Deuteronomy 26 4 Commentary
Deuteronomy 26:4 provides a succinct but profoundly meaningful step within the ritual of the firstfruits offering. This verse is not merely procedural; it highlights the critical role of the priest and the sanctity of the offering before God. The transfer of the basket from the worshiper’s hand to the priest’s custody, and its subsequent placement "before the altar of the LORD," illustrates the sacred progression of the offering from human effort to divine acceptance. The priest acts as God’s appointed representative, a gatekeeper ensuring the offering’s purity and appropriate presentation. This physical action, happening directly before the altar, signifies the worshiper's humility and complete surrender of the first and best of their harvest to the Sovereign Lord. It embodies Israel's dependence on God for their sustenance, their obedience to His covenant commands, and their gratitude for the bountiful land He had bestowed upon them. The emphasis on "the LORD" (YHWH) explicitly reminds the people that their prosperity originates solely from the God of Israel, rather than the Canaanite deities often associated with agricultural success.
This verse sets the stage for the deeply personal yet communally oriented confession that follows (Dt 26:5-10), demonstrating that true worship involves both concrete actions (bringing the gift) and heartfelt acknowledgment of God's redemptive work. The meticulous details of this ceremony teach that all of life, including economic prosperity, belongs to God and should be offered back to Him in thanks.