The Israelite proclaims his faith
1 When you come into the land which Yahweh, your God, gives you as an inheritance, when you possess it and dwell in it,
2 you shall take the firstfruits of all your harvests, place them in a large basket and bring it to the place chosen by Yahweh, your God, as the dwelling place for his Name.
3 Present these to the priest who is in office, and say to him, “On this day, I confess that Yahweh, my God, let me enter into the land he promised our fathers that he would give us.”
4 Then the priest shall take the large basket from your hands and place it before the altar of Yahweh, your God,
5 and you shall say these words before Yahweh, “My father was a wandering Aramean. He went down to Egypt to find refuge there, while still few in number; but in that country, he became a great and powerful nation.
6 The Egyptians maltreated us, op pressed us and subjected us to harsh slavery.
7 So we called to Yah weh, the God of our ancestors, and Yah weh listened to us. He saw our hu miliation, our hard labor and the oppression to which we were subjected.
8 He brought us out of Egypt with a firm hand, manifesting his power with signs and awesome wonders.
9 And he brought us here to give us this land flowing with milk and honey.
10 So now I bring and offer the firstfruits of the land which you, Yahweh, have given me.”
11 You shall place these before Yahweh, bow before him and worship Yahweh, your God. Afterwards, you and your household shall feast on all the good things Yahweh has given you and your family. The Levite and the foreigner who lives among you shall also feast with you.
12 On the third year, the year of tithing, when you have finished separating the tithes from all your harvests and have given them to the Le vite, the foreigner, the widow and the orphan, that they may eat within your very city until they are satisfied,
13 you shall say in the presence of Yah weh,
“I have brought out of my house the sacred share. I have given it to the Levite, the foreigner, the orphan and the widow according to the commandments that you have given me, without going against any of them or forgetting them.
14 Of that tithe I have not eaten anything in time of mourn ing, or removed any of it while I was unclean. I have offered nothing to the dead. I have obeyed the voice of Yahweh, my God, and have done as he has commanded me.
15 From your sanctuary, from on high in the heavens, look down and bless your people Israel, as you bless the land which you have given us just as you had promised to our ancestors, the land flowing with milk and honey.”
16 On this day, Yahweh, your God, com mands you to fulfill these norms and these commandments. Obey them now and put them into practice with all your heart and with all your soul.
17 Today Yahweh has declared to you that he will be your God, and so you shall follow his ways, observing his norms, his com mandments and his laws, and listening to his voice.
18 Today Yahweh has declared that you will be his very own people even as he had promised you, and you must obey all his commandments.
19 He, for his part, will give you honor, renown and glory, and set you high above all the nations he has made, and you will become a nation consecrated to Yahweh, your God, as he has declared.
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Comments Deuteronomy, Chapter 26
• 26.1 My father was a wandering Ara mean. This para graph is like a profession of faith for the Israel ites. They know they were chosen from among pagan Arameans and that God, after liberating them, had given them the prosperity they were enjoying. Likewise, the various formulations of the “creed” which the Church now uses, place at the very center the liberating work that God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, realizes for our benefit.