Moses · Traditional Attribution

Deuteronomy · Chapter 14דְּבָרִים

Laws of holiness: dietary restrictions and tithes for God's chosen people

Holiness demands distinction. Moses instructs Israel on how their identity as God's treasured possession must shape their daily practices, from mourning customs to eating habits. The chapter establishes dietary laws that separate clean from unclean animals, then prescribes a tithing system to sustain Levites and foster communal worship. These regulations aren't arbitrary but flow from Israel's unique covenant status—they are a holy people, set apart for the Lord.

Deuteronomy 14:1-2

Identity as God's Holy People

LSB Text

¹"You are sons of Yahweh your God; you shall not cut yourselves nor shave your forehead for the sake of the dead. ²For you are a holy people to Yahweh your God, and Yahweh has chosen you to be a people for His treasured possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.

Greek Text

¹בָּנִ֣ים אַתֶּ֔ם לַיהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֑ם לֹ֣א תִתְגֹּֽדְד֗וּ וְלֹא־תָשִׂ֧ימוּ קָרְחָ֛ה בֵּ֥ין עֵינֵיכֶ֖ם לָמֵֽת׃ ²כִּ֣י עַ֤ם קָדוֹשׁ֙ אַתָּ֔ה לַיהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ וּבְךָ֞ בָּחַ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה לִֽהְי֥וֹת לוֹ֙ לְעַ֣ם סְגֻלָּ֔ה מִכֹּל֙ הָֽעַמִּ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הָאֲדָמָֽה׃

¹bānîm ʾattem layhwh ʾĕlōhêkem lōʾ tiṯgōdĕdû wĕlōʾ-ṯāśîmû qārĕḥâ bên ʿênêkem lāmēṯ. ²kî ʿam qādôš ʾattâ layhwh ʾĕlōheykā ûḇĕkā bāḥar yhwh lihĕyôṯ lô lĕʿam sĕgullâ mikkōl hāʿammîm ʾăšer ʿal-pĕnê hāʾădāmâ.

Key Words

בָּנִים bānîm sons / children

The plural of בֵּן (bēn), "son," establishes the covenant relationship between Israel and Yahweh in familial terms. This is not merely metaphorical but constitutive—Israel's identity flows from divine sonship. The term appears over 4,900 times in the Hebrew Bible, ranging from biological offspring to members of a guild or nation. Here it grounds the prohibitions that follow in relational theology: sons bear the family likeness and honor the Father's character. Paul will later universalize this sonship through adoption in Christ (Romans 8:14-17; Galatians 4:5-7).

יְהוָה yhwh Yahweh / the LORD

The tetragrammaton, the personal covenant name of God revealed to Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3:14-15). Derived from the verb הָיָה (hāyâ), "to be," it emphasizes God's self-existence, faithfulness, and covenant loyalty. The LSB distinctively renders this as "Yahweh" rather than "LORD," preserving the personal name and its theological weight. In Deuteronomy, Yahweh appears over 550 times, underscoring that Israel's laws are not abstract ethics but relational commands from their covenant Lord. The name binds Israel to the God who acts in history.

תִתְגֹּדְדוּ tiṯgōdĕdû cut yourselves / make gashes

A hitpael form of גָּדַד (gāḏaḏ), meaning "to cut" or "to gash oneself." The reflexive stem indicates self-inflicted wounds, a mourning practice common among Canaanite religions to invoke or appease deities of the underworld. Leviticus 19:28 and 21:5 similarly prohibit such practices. The prohibition is not about grief itself but about adopting pagan rituals that deny Yahweh's sovereignty over life and death. Israel's mourning must reflect trust in the God who raises the dead, not manipulation of chthonic powers.

קָדוֹשׁ qādôš holy / set apart

From the root קָדַשׁ (qāḏaš), meaning "to be set apart, consecrated." Holiness in Hebrew thought is primarily relational and positional—separation unto God for His purposes. It is not inherent moral perfection but covenantal distinctiveness. Israel is holy because Yahweh has chosen them, not because of their merit (Deuteronomy 7:6-8). This holiness demands visible differentiation from surrounding nations in worship, ethics, and social practice. The New Testament applies this language to the church as a "holy nation" (1 Peter 2:9), extending Israel's vocation to all who are in Christ.

סְגֻלָּה sĕgullâ treasured possession / special treasure

A rare and precious term appearing only eight times in the Hebrew Bible, denoting a king's personal treasure or prized possession. In ancient Near Eastern treaties, a vassal might be called the suzerain's sĕgullâ, emphasizing exclusive loyalty and special favor. Exodus 19:5 first applies this to Israel: "you shall be My treasured possession among all the peoples." The term conveys both privilege and responsibility—Israel is Yahweh's peculiar treasure, chosen not for exploitation but for intimate relationship and mission. Malachi 3:17 uses it eschatologically, and Titus 2:14 applies it to the redeemed community.

בָּחַר bāḥar chose / selected

The verb "to choose" or "to elect," appearing over 170 times in the Hebrew Bible. It denotes deliberate, sovereign selection, often with covenantal implications. Yahweh's choice of Israel is grounded not in their size, strength, or righteousness but in His love and oath to the patriarchs (Deuteronomy 7:7-8). The verb underscores divine initiative—election precedes obedience. This theology of gracious choice runs through Scripture, from Abraham to the remnant to the Messiah, and culminates in the New Testament doctrine of election in Christ (Ephesians 1:4-5).

Grammar & Argument

The passage opens with a declarative identity statement—"You are sons"—that functions as the theological foundation for the imperatives that follow. Moses is not appealing to Israel's achievement but to their given status. The structure is covenantal: indicative precedes imperative, identity grounds ethics. The double prohibition (לֹא תִתְגֹּדְדוּ... וְלֹא־תָשִׂימוּ) employs the standard negative particle with imperfect verbs, creating absolute commands. The reflexive hitpael form of גָּדַד intensifies the self-directed nature of the forbidden act, while the spatial phrase "between your eyes" (בֵּין עֵינֵיכֶם) specifies the forehead, a visible and symbolic location.

Verse 2 begins with the explanatory כִּי ("for/because"), signaling that what follows is the rationale for the prohibitions. The verse unfolds in three movements: (1) Israel's status as a holy people, (2) Yahweh's act of choosing, and (3) the purpose of that choice—to be a treasured possession. The syntax places "holy people" in the predicate position for emphasis: "a holy people you are." The perfect verb בָּחַר ("chose") points to a completed, decisive act in the past, while the infinitive construct לִהְיוֹת ("to be") expresses purpose or result. The prepositional phrase מִכֹּל הָעַמִּים ("out of all the peoples") underscores Israel's unique election from among the nations.

The rhetorical force of the passage lies in its movement from prohibition to privilege. Moses does not merely forbid pagan mourning rites; he reframes Israel's entire self-understanding. They are not orphans scrambling for divine attention through self-mutilation but sons secure in their Father's love. The repetition of "Yahweh your God" (twice in two verses) personalizes the covenant relationship, while the climactic term סְגֻלָּה evokes royal imagery—Israel is Yahweh's crown jewel. The passage thus transforms ethics into worship: obedience is the natural overflow of knowing whose you are.

Holiness is not a burden to achieve but an identity to inhabit. Israel's distinctiveness flows from being chosen, not from choosing well. The prohibition against pagan mourning is less about ritual purity and more about theological clarity: sons of the living God do not grovel before death as though it were sovereign.

OT Connection

Exodus 19:5-6; Leviticus 19:28; Deuteronomy 7:6-8; 1 Kings 18:28

The language of sonship and treasured possession echoes the Sinai covenant, where Yahweh first declared Israel "a kingdom of priests and a holy nation" (Exodus 19:5-6). The prohibition against cutting oneself appears also in Leviticus 19:28, situating Deuteronomy 14:1 within the broader Holiness Code. The practice of self-laceration was vividly demonstrated by the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18:28), who "cut themselves according to their custom with swords and lances until the blood gushed out on them." Moses contrasts Israel's mourning with such frenzied manipulation of the divine.

Deuteronomy 7:6-8 provides the fullest exposition of Israel's election, emphasizing that Yahweh's choice was motivated by love and covenant faithfulness, not Israel's merit. The term סְגֻלָּה ("treasured possession") links Deuteronomy 14:2 back to Exodus 19:5, forming an inclusio around Israel's wilderness journey. This covenantal identity will be democratized in the New Testament, where Peter applies the Exodus 19 language directly to the church: "you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession" (1 Peter 2:9). The sonship theme culminates in Christ, the unique Son, through whom many sons are brought to glory (Hebrews 2:10).

Deuteronomy 14:3-21

Clean and Unclean Animals for Food

LSB Text

³"You shall not eat any detestable thing. ⁴These are the animals which you may eat: the ox, the sheep, the goat, ⁵the deer, the gazelle, the roebuck, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope, and the mountain sheep. ⁶Any animal that divides the hoof and has the hoof split in two and chews the cud, among the animals, that you may eat. ⁷Nevertheless, you shall not eat of these among those which chew the cud or among those that divide the hoof in two: the camel and the rabbit and the rock badger, for though they chew the cud, they do not divide the hoof; they are unclean for you. ⁸And the pig, because it divides the hoof but does not chew the cud, it is unclean for you. You shall not eat any of their flesh nor touch their carcasses. ⁹"These you may eat of all that are in water: anything that has fins and scales you may eat, ¹⁰but anything that does not have fins and scales you shall not eat; it is unclean for you. ¹¹"You may eat any clean bird. ¹²But these are the ones which you shall not eat: the eagle and the vulture and the black vulture, ¹³and the red kite, the falcon, and the kite in their kinds, ¹⁴and every raven in its kind, ¹⁵and the ostrich, the owl, the sea gull, and the hawk in their kinds, ¹⁶the little owl, the great owl, the white owl, ¹⁷the pelican, the carrion vulture, the cormorant, ¹⁸the stork, and the heron in their kinds, and the hoopoe and the bat. ¹⁹And all the teeming things that fly are unclean to you; they shall not be eaten. ²⁰You may eat any clean bird. ²¹"You shall not eat anything which dies of itself. You may give it to the sojourner who is within your gates, that he may eat it, or you may sell it to a foreigner, for you are a holy people to Yahweh your God. You shall not boil a young goat in its mother's milk.

Greek Text

³לֹ֥א תֹאכַ֖ל כָּל־תּוֹעֵבָֽה׃ ⁴זֹ֥את הַבְּהֵמָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר תֹּאכֵ֑לוּ שׁ֕וֹר שֵׂ֥ה כְשָׂבִ֖ים וְשֵׂ֥ה עִזִּֽים׃ ⁵אַיָּ֥ל וּצְבִ֖י וְיַחְמ֑וּר וְאַקּ֥וֹ וְדִישֹׁ֖ן וּתְא֥וֹ וָזָֽמֶר׃ ⁶וְכָל־בְּהֵמָ֞ה מַפְרֶ֣סֶת פַּרְסָ֗ה וְשֹׁסַ֤עַת שֶׁ֙סַע֙ שְׁתֵּ֣י פְרָס֔וֹת מַעֲלַ֥ת גֵּרָ֖ה בַּבְּהֵמָ֑ה אֹתָ֖הּ תֹּאכֵֽלוּ׃ ⁷אַ֣ךְ אֶת־זֶ֞ה לֹ֤א תֹֽאכְלוּ֙ מִמַּֽעֲלֵ֣י הַגֵּרָ֔ה וּמִמַּפְרִיסֵ֥י הַפַּרְסָ֖ה הַשְּׁסוּעָ֑ה אֶֽת־הַ֠גָּמָל וְאֶת־הָאַרְנֶ֨בֶת וְאֶת־הַשָּׁפָ֜ן כִּֽי־מַעֲלֵ֧ה גֵרָ֣ה הֵ֗מָּה וּפַרְסָה֙ לֹ֣א הִפְרִ֔יסוּ טְמֵאִ֥ים הֵ֖ם לָכֶֽם׃ ⁸וְאֶת־הַ֠חֲזִיר כִּֽי־מַפְרִ֨יס פַּרְסָ֥ה הוּא֙ וְלֹ֣א גֵרָ֔ה טָמֵ֥א ה֖וּא לָכֶ֑ם מִבְּשָׂרָם֙ לֹ֣א תֹאכֵ֔לוּ וּבְנִבְלָתָ֖ם לֹ֥א תִגָּֽעוּ׃ ס ⁹אֶת־זֶה֙ תֹּֽאכְל֔וּ מִכֹּ֖ל אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּמָּ֑יִם כֹּ֧ל אֲשֶׁר־לוֹ֛ סְנַפִּ֥יר וְקַשְׂקֶ֖שֶׂת תֹּאכֵֽלוּ׃ ¹⁰וְכֹ֨ל אֲשֶׁ֧ר אֵֽין־לוֹ֛ סְנַפִּ֥יר וְקַשְׂקֶ֖שֶׂת לֹ֣א תֹאכֵ֑לוּ טָמֵ֥א ה֖וּא לָכֶֽם׃ ס ¹¹כָּל־צִפּ֥וֹר טְהֹרָ֖ה תֹּאכֵֽלוּ׃ ¹²וְזֶ֕ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־תֹאכְל֖וּ מֵהֶ֑ם הַנֶּ֥שֶׁר וְהַפֶּ֖רֶס וְהָֽעָזְנִיָּֽה׃ ¹³וְהָרָאָה֙ וְאֶת־הָ֣אַיָּ֔ה וְהַדַּיָּ֖ה לְמִינָֽהּ׃ ¹⁴וְאֵ֥ת כָּל־עֹרֵ֖ב לְמִינֽוֹ׃ ¹⁵וְאֵת֙ בַּ֣ת הַֽיַּעֲנָ֔ה וְאֶת־הַתַּחְמָ֖ס וְאֶת־הַשָּׁ֑חַף וְאֶת־הַנֵּ֖ץ לְמִינֵֽהוּ׃ ¹⁶אֶת־הַכּ֥וֹס וְאֶת־הַיַּנְשׁ֖וּף וְהַתִּנְשָֽׁמֶת׃ ¹⁷וְהַקָּאָ֥ת וְאֶֽת־הָרָחָ֖מָה וְאֶת־הַשָּׁלָֽךְ׃ ¹⁸וְהַ֣חֲסִידָ֔ה וְהָאֲנָפָ֖ה לְמִינָ֑הּ וְהַדּוּכִיפַ֖ת וְהָעֲטַלֵּֽף׃ ¹⁹וְכֹל֙ שֶׁ֣רֶץ הָע֔וֹף טָמֵ֥א ה֖וּא לָכֶ֑ם לֹ֖א יֵאָכֵֽלוּ׃ ²⁰כָּל־ע֥וֹף טָה֖וֹר תֹּאכֵֽלוּ׃ ²¹לֹ֣א תֹאכְל֣וּ כָל־נְ֠בֵלָה לַגֵּ֨ר אֲשֶׁר־בִּשְׁעָרֶ֜יךָ תִּתְּנֶ֣נָּה וַאֲכָלָ֗הּ א֤וֹ מָכֹר֙ לְנָכְרִ֔י כִּ֣י עַ֤ם קָדוֹשׁ֙ אַתָּ֔ה לַיהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ לֹֽא־תְבַשֵּׁ֥ל גְּדִ֖י בַּחֲלֵ֥ב אִמּֽוֹ׃ פ

³lōʾ ṯōḵal kol-tôʿēḇâ. ⁴zōʾṯ habbᵉhēmâ ʾăšer tōḵēlû šôr śēh ḵᵉśāḇîm wᵉśēh ʿizzîm. ⁵ʾayyāl ûṣᵉḇî wᵉyaḥmûr wᵉʾaqqô wᵉḏîšōn ûṯᵉʾô wāzāmer. ⁶wᵉḵol-bᵉhēmâ mapresseṯ parsâ wᵉšōsaʿaṯ šesaʿ šᵉttê p̄ᵉrāsôṯ maʿălaṯ gērâ babbᵉhēmâ ʾōṯāh tōḵēlû. ⁷ʾaḵ ʾeṯ-zeh lōʾ ṯōḵᵉlû mimmaʿălê haggērâ ûmimmaprîsê happarsâ haššᵉsûʿâ ʾeṯ-haggāmāl wᵉʾeṯ-hāʾarneḇeṯ wᵉʾeṯ-haššāpān kî-maʿălēh gērâ hēmmâ ûparsâ lōʾ hiprîsû ṭᵉmēʾîm hēm lāḵem. ⁸wᵉʾeṯ-haḥăzîr kî-maprîs parsâ hûʾ wᵉlōʾ gērâ ṭāmēʾ hûʾ lāḵem mibbᵉśārām lōʾ ṯōḵēlû ûḇᵉniḇlāṯām lōʾ ṯiggāʿû. ⁹ʾeṯ-zeh tōḵᵉlû mikkōl ʾăšer bammāyim kōl ʾăšer-lô sᵉnappîr wᵉqaśqeśeṯ tōḵēlû. ¹⁰wᵉḵōl ʾăšer ʾên-lô sᵉnappîr wᵉqaśqeśeṯ lōʾ ṯōḵēlû ṭāmēʾ hûʾ lāḵem. ¹¹kol-ṣippôr ṭᵉhōrâ tōḵēlû. ¹²wᵉzeh ʾăšer lōʾ-ṯōḵᵉlû mēhem hannešer wᵉhappereś wᵉhāʿozniyyâ. ¹³wᵉhārāʾâ wᵉʾeṯ-hāʾayyâ wᵉhaddayyâ lᵉmînāh. ¹⁴wᵉʾēṯ kol-ʿōrēḇ lᵉmînô. ¹⁵wᵉʾēṯ baṯ hayyaʿănâ wᵉʾeṯ-hattaḥmās wᵉʾeṯ-haššāḥap̄ wᵉʾeṯ-hannēṣ lᵉmînēhû. ¹⁶ʾeṯ-hakkôs wᵉʾeṯ-hayyanšûp̄ wᵉhattinšāmeṯ. ¹⁷wᵉhaqqāʾāṯ wᵉʾeṯ-hārāḥāmâ wᵉʾeṯ-haššālāḵ. ¹⁸wᵉhaḥăsîḏâ wᵉhāʾănāp̄â lᵉmînāh wᵉhaddûḵîp̄aṯ wᵉhāʿăṭallēp̄. ¹⁹wᵉḵōl šereṣ hāʿôp̄ ṭāmēʾ hûʾ lāḵem lōʾ yēʾāḵēlû. ²⁰kol-ʿôp̄ ṭāhôr tōḵēlû. ²¹lōʾ ṯōḵᵉlû ḵol-nᵉḇēlâ laggēr ʾăšer-bišᵉʿāreḵā tittᵉnennâ waʾăḵālāh ʾô māḵōr lᵉnoḵrî kî ʿam qāḏôš ʾattâ layhwâ ʾĕlōheḵā lōʾ-ṯᵉḇaššēl gᵉḏî baḥălēḇ ʾimmô.

Key Words

תּוֹעֵבָה tôʿēḇâ abomination / detestable thing

This noun derives from the root תעב (tʿb), meaning "to abhor" or "to detest." In Deuteronomy, tôʿēḇâ designates practices or objects that violate covenant holiness and provoke Yahweh's revulsion—idolatry, sexual perversion, and here, dietary violations. The term appears frequently in the Holiness Code (Leviticus 18–20) and prophetic literature to mark boundary transgressions. Its use in verse 3 frames the dietary laws not as arbitrary taboos but as expressions of moral-cultic purity. The LXX renders it βδέλυγμα (bdelugma), which the New Testament applies to eschatological abominations (Mark 13:14).

בְּהֵמָה bᵉhēmâ beast / cattle / animal

A general term for land animals, particularly domesticated quadrupeds, from an uncertain root possibly related to muteness or irrationality. In Genesis 1, bᵉhēmâ designates the sixth-day creatures given to humanity for dominion. Here in Deuteronomy 14, the word introduces the category of permissible livestock—ox, sheep, goat—before expanding to wild game. The term's semantic range includes both clean and unclean species, requiring further specification by physical markers (split hoof, cud-chewing). The distinction between bᵉhēmâ (land animals) and ʿôp̄ (birds) structures the taxonomy of verses 4–20.

פַּרְסָה parsâ hoof / divided hoof

This noun denotes the hard covering of an animal's foot, specifically the cloven or split hoof that serves as one of two criteria for clean land animals. The root פרס (prs) means "to divide" or "to split," and the Piel form מַפְרֶסֶת (mapresseṯ) in verse 6 emphasizes the action of dividing. The requirement of a fully split hoof (שְׁתֵּי פְרָסוֹת, "two hooves") excludes animals like the camel and pig, which either lack the split or do not chew the cud. This physical marker becomes a visible sign of categorical distinction, teaching Israel to discern boundaries in creation order.

גֵּרָה gērâ cud

The term refers to partially digested food

Grammar & Argument

Deuteronomy 14:22-29

Regulations for Tithes and Offerings

LSB Text

²²"You shall surely tithe all the produce from what you sow, which comes out of the field every year. ²³And you shall eat in the presence of Yahweh your God, at the place where He chooses to establish His name, the tithe of your grain, your new wine, your oil, and the firstborn of your herd and your flock, so that you may learn to fear Yahweh your God always. ²⁴And if the distance is so great for you that you are not able to bring the tithe, since the place where Yahweh your God chooses to set His name is too far away from you when Yahweh your God blesses you, ²⁵then you shall exchange it for money, and bind the money in your hand and go to the place which Yahweh your God chooses. ²⁶And you may spend the money for whatever your soul desires: for oxen, or sheep, or wine, or strong drink, or whatever your soul asks of you; and you shall eat there in the presence of Yahweh your God and rejoice, you and your household. ²⁷Also you shall not neglect the Levite who is within your gates, for he has no portion or inheritance among you. ²⁸"At the end of every third year you shall bring out all the tithe of your produce in that year, and you shall deposit it within your gates. ²⁹And the Levite, because he has no portion or inheritance among you, and the sojourner, the orphan, and the widow who are within your gates, shall come and eat and be satisfied, in order that Yahweh your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do.

Greek Text

²²עַשֵּׂ֣ר תְּעַשֵּׂ֔ר אֵ֖ת כָּל־תְּבוּאַ֣ת זַרְעֶ֑ךָ הַיֹּצֵ֥א הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה שָׁנָ֥ה שָׁנָֽה׃ ²³וְאָכַלְתָּ֞ לִפְנֵ֣י ׀ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ בַּמָּק֣וֹם אֲשֶׁר־יִבְחַר֮ לְשַׁכֵּ֣ן שְׁמ֣וֹ שָׁם֒ מַעְשַׂ֤ר דְּגָֽנְךָ֙ תִּֽירֹשְׁךָ֣ וְיִצְהָרֶ֔ךָ וּבְכֹרֹ֥ת בְּקָרְךָ֖ וְצֹאנֶ֑ךָ לְמַ֣עַן תִּלְמַ֗ד לְיִרְאָ֛ה אֶת־יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ כָּל־הַיָּמִֽים׃ ²⁴וְכִֽי־יִרְבֶּ֨ה מִמְּךָ֜ הַדֶּ֗רֶךְ כִּ֣י לֹ֣א תוּכַל֮ שְׂאֵתוֹ֒ כִּֽי־יִרְחַ֤ק מִמְּךָ֙ הַמָּק֔וֹם אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִבְחַר֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ לָשׂ֥וּם שְׁמ֖וֹ שָׁ֑ם כִּ֥י יְבָרֶכְךָ֖ יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃ ²⁵וְנָתַתָּ֖ה בַּכָּ֑סֶף וְצַרְתָּ֤ הַכֶּ֙סֶף֙ בְּיָ֣דְךָ֔ וְהָֽלַכְתָּ֙ אֶל־הַמָּק֔וֹם אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִבְחַ֛ר יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ בּֽוֹ׃ ²⁶וְנָתַתָּ֣ה הַכֶּסֶף֮ בְּכֹ֣ל אֲשֶׁר־תְּאַוֶּ֣ה נַפְשְׁךָ֒ בַּבָּקָ֤ר וּבַצֹּאן֙ וּבַיַּ֣יִן וּבַשֵּׁכָ֔ר וּבְכֹ֛ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר תִּֽשְׁאָלְךָ֖ נַפְשֶׁ֑ךָ וְאָכַ֣לְתָּ שָּׁ֗ם לִפְנֵי֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ וְשָׂמַחְתָּ֖ אַתָּ֥ה וּבֵיתֶֽךָ׃ ²⁷וְהַלֵּוִ֥י אֲשֶׁר־בִּשְׁעָרֶ֖יךָ לֹ֣א תַֽעַזְבֶ֑נּוּ כִּ֣י אֵ֥ין ל֛וֹ חֵ֥לֶק וְנַחֲלָ֖ה עִמָּֽךְ׃ ²⁸מִקְצֵ֣ה ׀ שָׁלֹ֣שׁ שָׁנִ֗ים תּוֹצִיא֙ אֶת־כָּל־מַעְשַׂר֙ תְּבוּאָ֣תְךָ֔ בַּשָּׁנָ֖ה הַהִ֑וא וְהִנַּחְתָּ֖ בִּשְׁעָרֶֽיךָ׃ ²⁹וּבָ֣א הַלֵּוִ֡י כִּ֣י אֵֽין־לוֹ֩ חֵ֨לֶק וְנַחֲלָ֜ה עִמָּ֗ךְ וְ֠הַגֵּר וְהַיָּת֤וֹם וְהָֽאַלְמָנָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בִּשְׁעָרֶ֔יךָ וְאָכְל֖וּ וְשָׂבֵ֑עוּ לְמַ֤עַן יְבָרֶכְךָ֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ בְּכָל־מַעֲשֵׂ֥ה יָדְךָ֖ אֲשֶׁ֥ר תַּעֲשֶֽׂה׃

²²ʿaśśēr tĕʿaśśēr ʾēt kol-tĕbûʾat zarʿeḵā hayyōṣēʾ haśśāḏeh šānâ šānâ. ²³wĕʾāḵaltā lipnê yhwh ʾĕlōheḵā bammāqôm ʾăšer-yibḥar lĕšakkēn šĕmô šām maʿśar dĕḡāneḵā tîrōšĕḵā wĕyiṣhāreḵā ûbĕḵōrōt bĕqāreḵā wĕṣōʾneḵā lĕmaʿan tilmaḏ lĕyirʾâ ʾet-yhwh ʾĕlōheḵā kol-hayyāmîm. ²⁴wĕḵî-yirbeh mimmĕḵā hadereḵ kî lōʾ ṯûḵal śĕʾētô kî-yirḥaq mimmĕḵā hammāqôm ʾăšer yibḥar yhwh ʾĕlōheḵā lāśûm šĕmô šām kî yĕbāreḵĕḵā yhwh ʾĕlōheḵā. ²⁵wĕnāṯattâ bakkeseṗ wĕṣartā hakkeseṗ bĕyāḏĕḵā wĕhālaḵtā ʾel-hammāqôm ʾăšer yibḥar yhwh ʾĕlōheḵā bô. ²⁶wĕnāṯattâ hakkeseṗ bĕḵōl ʾăšer-tĕʾawweh napšĕḵā babbāqār ûbaṣṣōʾn ûbayyayin ûbaššēḵār ûbĕḵōl ʾăšer tišʾālĕḵā napšeḵā wĕʾāḵaltā šām lipnê yhwh ʾĕlōheḵā wĕśāmaḥtā ʾattâ ûbêṯeḵā. ²⁷wĕhallēwî ʾăšer-bišʿāreḵā lōʾ ṯaʿazbenû kî ʾên lô ḥēleq wĕnaḥălâ ʿimmāḵ. ²⁸miqṣēh šālōš šānîm tôṣîʾ ʾet-kol-maʿśar tĕbûʾāṯĕḵā baššānâ hahîʾ wĕhinnaḥtā bišʿāreḵā. ²⁹ûbāʾ hallēwî kî ʾên-lô ḥēleq wĕnaḥălâ ʿimmāḵ wĕhaggēr wĕhayyāṯôm wĕhāʾalmānâ ʾăšer bišʿāreḵā wĕʾāḵĕlû wĕśābēʿû lĕmaʿan yĕbāreḵĕḵā yhwh ʾĕlōheḵā bĕḵol-maʿăśēh yāḏĕḵā ʾăšer taʿăśeh.

Key Words

מַעְשַׂר maʿśar tithe / tenth part

From the root עָשַׂר (ʿāśar, "ten"), maʿśar denotes the tenth portion set apart for sacred purposes. The doubled infinitive absolute construction עַשֵּׂר תְּעַשֵּׂר (ʿaśśēr tĕʿaśśēr) in verse 22 intensifies the command—"you shall surely tithe"—emphasizing the non-negotiable nature of this obligation. The tithe system in Israel served both liturgical and social purposes, funding the Levitical priesthood and providing for the vulnerable. This practice anticipates the New Testament principle that those who minister spiritually should receive material support (1 Cor 9:13-14), though the specific tithe percentage is not mandated for the church.

יִרְאָה yirʾâ fear / reverence

The infinitive construct of יָרֵא (yārēʾ), this term encompasses both terror and reverent awe. In verse 23, the purpose clause "so that you may learn to fear Yahweh your God always" reveals that tithing is pedagogical—it trains the heart in proper orientation toward God. The act of bringing one's produce to the central sanctuary, eating it in Yahweh's presence, and sharing with the Levite cultivates a lived theology of dependence and worship. Fear of Yahweh is not servile dread but the beginning of wisdom (Prov 9:10), a posture of humble recognition that all provision flows from His hand.

נֶפֶשׁ nepeš soul / appetite / desire

Occurring twice in verse 26, nepeš here denotes the seat of appetite and desire—"whatever your soul desires" and "whatever your soul asks of you." This usage highlights the remarkable permission God grants: the converted tithe money may be spent on food and drink that brings joy. Far from ascetic rigor, the tithe feast celebrates God's blessing with material abundance. The term nepeš can mean life-force, throat, or person depending on context; here it emphasizes the legitimate cravings of embodied existence. God's law does not despise the body but sanctifies its pleasures when enjoyed in His presence.

שָׂמַח śāmaḥ rejoice / be glad

This verb of joy and celebration appears in verse 26, commanding Israel to "rejoice, you and your household" before Yahweh. The Qal perfect with waw-consecutive (וְשָׂמַחְתָּ) indicates that rejoicing is not optional but integral to proper worship. Deuteronomy repeatedly links obedience with joy (12:7, 12, 18; 16:11, 14-15), countering any notion that service to God is burdensome. The household dimension underscores the communal nature of worship—joy is to be shared, not hoarded. This festal gladness anticipates the eschatological banquet where God's people will feast in His presence forever (Rev 19:9).

לֵוִי lēwî Levite

The tribal name derived from Levi, third son of Jacob and Leah. The Levites received no territorial inheritance in Canaan (v. 27, 29) because "Yahweh is their inheritance" (10:9; 18:2). This landlessness made them economically dependent on the tithes and offerings of their fellow Israelites. The repeated injunction not to "neglect" (עָזַב, ʿāzab) the Levite underscores covenant responsibility—those who serve at the altar must be sustained by those who benefit from their ministry. The Levitical system prefigures the New Testament principle that the church should support its ministers (1 Tim 5:17-18).

גֵּר gēr sojourner / resident alien

From the root גּוּר (gûr, "to sojourn" or "dwell as a foreigner"), gēr designates someone living outside their native land without full citizenship rights. Verse 29 includes the sojourner alongside the Levite, orphan, and widow as recipients of the triennial tithe. This provision reveals God's heart for the marginalized and Israel's call to mirror His compassion. The gēr's inclusion in covenant blessings anticipates the gospel's breaking down of ethnic barriers (Eph 2:19). Israel's own history as sojourners in Egypt (Exod 22:21; 23:9) should have cultivated empathy for the vulnerable stranger.

יָתוֹם yāṯôm orphan / fatherless

Derived from a root meaning "to be alone" or "bereaved," yāṯôm refers to a child who has lost a father, the primary provider and protector in ancient Near Eastern society. The orphan appears frequently in Deuteronomy's humanitarian legislation (10:18; 24:17, 19-21; 26:12-13) as an object of God's special concern. Yahweh Himself is "the father of the fatherless" (Ps 68:5), and He commands His people to embody His justice by ensuring orphans have access to food and resources. James 1:27 echoes this priority, defining pure religion as caring for orphans and widows in their distress.

אַלְמָנָה ʾalmānâ widow

From the root אָלַם (ʾālam, possibly "to be silent" or "bound"), ʾalmānâ designates a woman whose husband has died, leaving her without male protection or economic security in a patriarchal society. The widow joins the orphan and sojourner as paradigmatic vulnerable persons in Israel's social legislation. God's self-description as "executing justice for the orphan and the widow" (10:18) establishes the theological foundation for the triennial tithe provision in verse 29. The early church continued this emphasis, organizing systematic care for widows (Acts 6:1; 1 Tim 5:3-16).

Grammar & Argument

The passage divides into two complementary tithe regulations: the annual tithe for festal worship (vv. 22-27) and the triennial tithe for local charity (vv. 28-29). The opening command employs the emphatic infinitive absolute construction עַשֵּׂר תְּעַשֵּׂר (ʿaśśēr tĕʿaśśēr), literally "tithing you shall tithe," which intensifies the obligation and brooks no evasion. The imperfect verb forms throughout (תְּעַשֵּׂר, וְאָכַלְתָּ, תּוֹצִיא) function as modal imperatives, expressing not mere