Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Deuteronomy 14:26
And thou shalt bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatsoever thy soul desireth: and thou shalt eat there before the LORD thy God, and thou shalt rejoice, thou, and thine household,
26. and thou shalt bestow the money ] It was this law, which with other customs led to the rise of markets for cattle and other commodities in the Temple Courts with the consequent abuses, fostered by the priests for their own enrichment, which our Lord chastised. Cp. Jer 6:13; Jer 7:11; Jer 23:11.
for whatsoever thy soul desireth asketh of thee ] On the soul as seat of the appetite see Deu 12:20; on desireth, Deu 5:21. The emphatic liberality of this provision is striking. Though the tithe is a vegetable one, flesh may be substituted for it: cp. Deu 14:23 according to which it was to be eaten with the firstlings.
or for wine, or for strong drink ] The attempt is sometimes made to argue that the juice of the vine when praised or prescribed in the O.T. is never an intoxicating liquor. That is clearly contradicted here; strong drink is a true transl. of the Heb. shekar, ‘omne quod inebriare potest’ (Jerome), which because of its effects is condemned in Isa 5:11; Isa 5:22; Isa 28:7; Mic 2:11 ; 1Sa 1:15; Pro 20:1, and is forbidden to priests on duty, Lev 10:9; cp. Pro 31:4, prescribed to invalids. The adj. from it shikkor = drunkard. In Israel there was the same difference of opinion as to its use which prevails among ourselves.
and thou shalt rejoice ] See on Deu 12:7.
thou and thine household ] As in Deu 12:7; Deu 12:12; Deu 12:18: the tithes or their equivalent are to be enjoyed, not as in P by the Temple Levites and Priests but by the offerers and their families including
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 26. Or for strong drink] What the sikera or strong drink of the Hebrews was, See Clarke on Le 10:9. This one verse sufficiently shows that the Mosaic law made ample provision for the comfort and happiness of the people.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
And thou shall bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul lusteth after,…. He might buy what provision he would with it, what he best liked, and was most agreeable to his appetite:
for oxen, or for sheep; he might purchase beef or mutton, or any other sort of meat that could be got, and was lawful to be eaten, as before directed:
or for wine, or for strong drink; to drink with his food, whether wine or any other liquor; the Targum of Jonathan is, wine new or old, which he chose; but the latter, strong drink, Aben Ezra says, was a liquor made of honey and of dates, of wheat and of barley:
or for whatsoever thy soul desireth; whether eatable or drinkable:
and thou shalt eat there before the Lord thy God; he having put his name in that place; and dwelling there, as the Lord did in the temple of Jerusalem:
and thou shalt rejoice, thou and thy household; eat their food with cheerfulness and gladness, making a feast of it and keeping it as such, he and his whole family, his wife and children, or as many as were with him; and all males were obliged to appear at the three grand yearly festivals, and it was at one of these this was to be done.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(26) Thou shalt bestow that money.The Jews were very particular in not permitting the second tithe to be expended upon anything not permitted here. The rules as to its disposal form a separate treatise in the Talmud, called Maaser Shn, second tithe.
Or for strong drink.From this it is clear that the use of strong drink is not sinful in itself. The same word appears in its Greek form (Heb., shcar; Greek, sikr) in Luk. 1:15.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Ver. 26. And thou shalt rejoice See ch. Deu 12:7. This is no other than an injunction on the Hebrew nation to use one part of their income in hospitality; to rejoice in the goodness of God, when they came before his presence; to acknowledge that they owed all their blessings to his protection and favour; and to gladden the hearts of the poor, the fatherless, and the widow, with a cheerful entertainment; imitating the goodness of God to themselves, by such acts of kindness to others; ver. 29. But this was left entirely to the owner, and his good will, on what to spend it, and whom to entertain: it is therefore not unfitly called by the Hebrew writers, the tithe of feasts, and the poor man’s tithe. See Lowman’s Dissert. ch. 6. It is strange, that a religion, fraught with such merciful precepts, should ever have been stigmatised with the name of barbarous and inhospitable!
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
thy soul = thyself. Hebrew. nephesh.
lusteth after = longeth for.
wine. Hebrew. yayin. App-27.
strong drink = shikar. See App-27.
desireth = asketh of thee.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
bestow: Ezr 7:15-17, Ezr 7:22, Mat 21:12, Mar 11:15, Joh 2:14-16
thy soul: Deu 12:15, Deu 12:20, Deu 12:21, Psa 106:14, 1Co 6:12, 1Co 6:13, 1Co 10:6
desireth: Heb. asketh of thee
eat: Deu 12:7, Deu 12:12, Deu 12:18, Deu 26:11
rejoice: Ecc 9:7
Reciprocal: 1Ki 11:37 – according Zec 7:6 – did not ye eat for Luk 19:45 – sold
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Deu 14:26. Thou shalt bestow that money, &c. This was an injunction to the Israelites to use a part of their income in hospitality; to rejoice in the goodness of God, when they came before his presence, to acknowledge he was the author of all their blessings, and to gladden the hearts of the poor, the fatherless, and the widow, by entertaining them; thus imitating Gods goodness to themselves by acts of kindness to others. Thou shalt eat there before the Lord thy God The comfortable and cheerful using of what God hath given us, with temperance and sobriety, is really the honouring of God with it. Contentment, holy joy, and thankfulness, make every meal a religious feast.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
14:26 And thou shalt bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatsoever thy soul desireth: {g} and thou shalt eat there before the LORD thy God, and thou shalt rejoice, thou, and thine household,
(g) After the Priest has received the Lord’s part.