26"When you enter the land the LORD your God is giving you as a special possession and you have conquered it and settled there,H935H776H3068H430H5414H5159H3423H34272put some of the first produce from each crop you harvest into a basket and bring it to the designated place of worship—the place the LORD your God chooses for his name to be honored.H3947H7225H6529H127H935H776H3068H430H5414H7760H2935H1980H4725H3068H430H977H7931H80343Go to the priest in charge at that time and say to him, 'With this gift I acknowledge to the LORD your God that I have entered the land he swore to our ancestors he would give us.'H935H3548H3117H559H5046H3117H3068H430H935H776H3068H7650H1H54144The priest will then take the basket from your hand and set it before the altar of the LORD your God.H3548H3947H2935H3027H3240H6440H4196H3068H4305"You must then say in the presence of the LORD your God, 'My ancestor Jacob was a wandering Aramean who went to live as a foreigner in Egypt. His family arrived few in number, but in Egypt they became a large and mighty nation.H6030H559H6440H3068H430H761H6H1H3381H4714H1481H4962H4592H1471H1419H6099H72276When the Egyptians oppressed and humiliated us by making us their slaves,H4713H7489H6031H5414H7186H56567we cried out to the LORD, the God of our ancestors. He heard our cries and saw our hardship, toil, and oppression.H6817H3068H430H1H3068H8085H6963H7200H6040H5999H39068So the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a strong hand and powerful arm, with overwhelming terror, and with miraculous signs and wonders.H3068H3318H4714H2389H3027H5186H2220H1419H4172H226H41599He brought us to this place and gave us this land flowing with milk and honey!H935H4725H5414H776H776H2100H2461H170610And now, O LORD, I have brought you the first portion of the harvest you have given me from the ground.' Then place the produce before the LORD your God, and bow to the ground in worship before him.H935H6529H7225H127H3068H5414H3240H6440H3068H430H7812H6440H3068H43011Afterward 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.H8055H2896H3068H430H5414H1004H3881H1616H713012"Every third year you must offer a special tithe of your crops. In this year of the special tithe you must give your tithes to the Levites, foreigners, orphans, and widows, so that they will have enough to eat in your towns.H3615H6237H4643H8393H7992H8141H8141H4643H5414H3881H1616H3490H490H398H8179H764613Then you must declare in the presence of the LORD your God, 'I have taken the sacred gift from my house and have given it to the Levites, foreigners, orphans, and widows, just as you commanded me. I have not violated or forgotten any of your commands.H559H6440H3068H430H1197H6944H1004H5414H3881H1616H3490H490H4687H6680H5674H4687H791114I have not eaten any of it while in mourning; I have not handled it while I was ceremonially unclean; and I have not offered any of it to the dead. I have obeyed the LORD my God and have done everything you commanded me.H398H205H1197H2931H5414H4191H8085H6963H3068H430H6213H668015Now look down from your holy dwelling place in heaven and bless your people Israel and the land you swore to our ancestors to give us—a land flowing with milk and honey.'H8259H6944H4583H8064H1288H5971H3478H127H5414H7650H1H776H2100H2461H1706
A Call to Obey the Lord’s Commands
16"Today the LORD your God has commanded you to obey all these decrees and regulations. So be careful to obey them wholeheartedly.H3117H3068H430H6680H6213H2706H4941H8104H6213H3824H531517You have declared today that the LORD is your God. And you have promised to walk in his ways, and to obey his decrees, commands, and regulations, and to do everything he tells you.H559H3068H3117H430H3212H1870H8104H2706H4687H4941H8085H696318The LORD has declared today that you are his people, his own special treasure, just as he promised, and that you must obey all his commands.H3068H559H3117H5459H5971H1696H8104H468719And if you do, he will set you high above all the other nations he has made. Then you will receive praise, honor, and renown. You will be a nation that is holy to the LORD your God, just as he promised."H5414H5945H1471H6213H8416H8034H8597H6918H5971H3068H430H1696
Dublin, OH
