Thou; <\/B>either, <\/P>
1. Thou, O Levite<\/I>; or rather, <\/P>
2. Thou, O Israelite<\/I>, whom he distinguisheth from the Levite, Deu 12:18<\/span>, accordingly as the following particulars agree to the one or to the other of you. Within thy gates, i.e. in your private habitations, here opposed to the place of Gods worship, Deu 12:18<\/span>. <\/P> The tithe of thy corn, or of thy wine, or of thy oil.<\/B> Here seems to be a great difficulty, not yet sufficiently observed nor cleared by interpreters. There were divers kinds of tithes: <\/P> 1. The tithes given to the Levites out of all, of which Num 18:21<\/span>,24<\/span>; Deu 14:22<\/span>; Neh 10:31<\/span>. <\/P> 2. The tithe of those tithes, which were to be given by the Levites to the priests, of which Num 18:21<\/span>,24<\/span>; Deu 14:29<\/span>; Neh 10:37<\/span>. <\/P> 3. The third years tithe, of which Deu 14:28<\/span>. To which some add another tithe, which they call the second tithe<\/I>, which they say was taken after the Levites tithe was laid by. Now each of these hath its difficulty. It seems this place cannot be understood, <\/P> 1. Of the Levites tithe; partly, because it might seem a great and wholly superfluous trouble to carry all their tithes up to Jerusalem, and to carry them back to their several habitations for their use; partly, because those were holy to the Lord<\/I>, Lev 27:30<\/span>, and not to be eaten by the people, Lev 27:31<\/span>; whereas these belonged principally to the people, the Levites being only taken in as accessories to eat with them, as it is here, Deu 12:18<\/span>; and partly, because those might be eaten in every place<\/I>, as it is expressly affirmed, Num 18:31<\/span> Nor, <\/P> 2. Of the tithe of the tithe, which was the priests; and neither Levites nor others might eat of it, except they were of or in the priests household. Nor, <\/P> 3. Of the third years tithe, because that was to be eaten within their gates<\/I>, Deu 14:28<\/span>,29<\/span>, as this was not. <\/P> I do therefore humbly conceive that this is meant of the second tithe, spoken of Deu 14:22<\/span>; and that this was the very same tithe with that third years tithe, with this only difference, that in the third year they were to eat them together with the Levites within their gates<\/I>, Deu 14:28<\/span>,29<\/span>, but in the two first years they were to eat them, together with the Levites also, in the place of Gods worship, as it is prescribed here and Deu 14:23<\/span>. And that it is one land the same tithe which is spoken of Deu 14:22<\/span>, and Deu 12:28<\/span>, seems more than probable, both because they are called by the same name, all the tithe of their increase<\/I>, and because that Deu 12:28<\/span> manifestly looks back to that Deu 12:22<\/span>, and because otherwise every third year the Israelites were to pay three several tithes one after another, which Scripture no where affirms, and it seems to make the peoples burdens and the Levites provisions too great. For the objection taken from Deu 26:12<\/span>,13<\/span>, it shall be considered in its place. And the reason of that difference of place, and why the same tithes were eaten for two years together in Jerusalem, and the third in their own gates, seems to be this, that in the two first years there was a more special regard had to the Levites, who were very much conversant in Jerusalem, where those tithes were then eaten, and in the third year there is a respect had to the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow<\/I>, who are mentioned as joint sharers with the Levites in this third years tithe, whose occasions and obligations of coming to Jerusalem were not so many nor strong as those of the Levites, and therefore they were to be found generally within their gates, where these were to be eaten. And whereas the objection made before against the chargeable and useless carrying of the first tithes to Jerusalem might be applied here, it is answered there, and it is provided, that when they lived at a great distance from Jerusalem they might turn it into money and bestow it there, Deu 14-26, which both confirms the objection as to the first tithe, for which no such provision was made, and answers it as to this, where such a remedy is expressed. And whereas it may be pleaded on the behalf of the first, or the Levitical tithe, that those tithes were brought to Jerusalem, and that there were store-houses or chambers in the temple appointed for the receiving of the tithes, 2Ch 31:5<\/span>,6<\/span>,11<\/span>,12<\/span>; Ne 10:37<\/span>,38<\/span>; 12:44<\/span>, it may be answered, that those chambers, being only thirty-eight in number, and each of them, except two, but six cubits broad and twelve cubits long, were altogether incapable of all those tithes, and seem principally, if not solely, appointed for the priests tithes, and not for all them neither, but only for so much of them as would serve for the use and necessity of those priests and Levites too that were in the actual ministration. <\/P> The firstlings of thy herds, or of thy flock.<\/B> As the tithes now mentioned were not the Levitical, but second tithes, as hath been discoursed; so these firstlings<\/I> do not seem to be the first firstlings, which being appropriated to the Levites were not to be eaten by any of the people, except those of or in the Levites families, but the second firstlings, which were the first which the owner could dispose of, and which, in conformity to the second tithes, he is required to set apart for this use. <\/P> <\/p>\n Thou mayest not eat within thy gates the tithe of thy corn, or of thy wine, or of thy oil<\/strong>,…. This cannot be understood of the tithe given to the Levites, or of that which the Levites out of theirs gave to the priests, for that was only eaten by them; but of the tithe which every three years they were to lay up within their gates, and which they were to eat with their families and others; but the other two years they were to carry it to the place the Lord chose, or turn it into money, and when they came thither purchase with it what they pleased, and eat it, they and their household, and others with them, before the Lord; see De 14:22<\/span>,<\/p>\n the firstlings of thy herds or of thy flocks<\/strong>; these also the firstborn males belonged to the Lord, and so to the priests, and could not be eaten by the people any where; and must be understood either of the next firstlings, which were the people’s, or of the female firstlings, which they might devote to the Lord, and so not allowed to eat at home, but in the chosen place:<\/p>\n nor any of thy vows which thou vowest, nor thy freewill offerings<\/strong>; which were species of peace offerings, and so to be eaten not in their own cities, but in the place appointed:<\/p>\n or heave offerings of thine hand<\/strong>; the firstfruits; see De 26:1<\/span> these were such they were not bound to bring, but brought them freely.<\/p>\n Verses 17-19:<\/strong><\/p>\n The law of the tithe required that the entire tithe be given to the Lord: none must be kept back for use by the offerer, Lev 27:30-34<\/span>. This was true also of:<\/p>\n (1) The firstling, of all beasts, Lev 27:26-27<\/span>.<\/p>\n (2) Things devoted to the Lord, by voluntary vows, Lev 27:28-29<\/span>.<\/p>\n (3) All <\/em>heave offerings, associated with the various sacrifices, see Exo 29:27<\/span>; Lev 7:14<\/span>; Num 15:19-21<\/span>; Num 18:24<\/span>; Num 31:41<\/span>.<\/em><\/p>\n All <\/em>such were to be brought to the Temple, in the place where God would appoint, and there offered upon the brazen altar.<\/em><\/p>\n Verses 19 is a pointed reminder that the twelve tribes of Israel were never to forsake or ignore the Levites, nor to withhold from them what God had designated as their portion. For application of this principle today, see 1Co 9:11-14<\/span>.<\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n (17) The tithe.<\/strong>This is understood by Jewish commentators of what is called the second tithe. The disposal of it is more particularly specified in Deu. 14:22-29<\/span>. (See also on Deu. 26:12<\/span>, &c.)<\/p>\n 17<\/strong>. <\/strong> Thou mayest not eat the tithe of thy corn <\/strong> The tithes mentioned differ from those in Lev 27:30-32<\/span>. Those include all the products of the flock, the herd, and the field, and are spoken of as the Lord’s. The Deuteronomic tithes seem to be limited to the corn, wine, and oil. “They are nowhere characterized as the Lord’s, but are spoken of as belonging to the Israelites, to be eaten in sacrificial meals, or as a tithe to be set apart once in three years for the benefit of the poor.” CURTISS, Levitical Priests, <\/em> p. 38. <\/p>\n Firstlings <\/strong> It is said that an unanswerable contradiction is found here to the regulations as to firstlings in Num 18:15-18<\/span>. “There the Lord is represented as intimating to Aaron, in respect to the firstlings, that ‘the flesh of them shall be thine, as the wave breast and the heave shoulder, it shall be thine;’ but it is not said that the priests are to have all the flesh of the firstlings, nor is it said here that the people are to have all.” CURTISS, Levitical Priests, <\/em> p. 40.<\/p>\n The Law of Tithes, Firstlings, Votive and Freewill Offerings, and Heave-offerings ( Deu 12:17-19<\/strong><\/span><\/strong> ). <\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n But this exception of being allowed to eat in their own cities in the case of animals was not to apply to tithes, firstlings, peace offerings or heave-offerings (contribution offerings). These all had to be brought to the sanctuary to be offered before Yahweh, because they were distinctively His. They were set apart for Him. The first thing to recognise here is that Moses expects his listeners to know precisely what these ordinances refer to<\/em> and to accept it without quibble. No explanations are yet given. And this is in fact because all had earlier been revealed through him as things that were to be offered to Yahweh and belonged to Him (in Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers). They were holy to Him. Thus they may only be used in accordance with His dispensing. They were as follows: <\/p>\n 1). Tithes.<\/strong> These represented one tenth of all produce, both animal and vegetable, including here especially the grain, oil and vintage. This one tenth had to be separated off and dedicated to Yahweh. It was seen as holy to Him and therefore at His disposal. It was His. The principle was clear. However, the practise now became far more complicated, for now Yahweh sought to dispose of the tithe. Previously it had been the inheritance of the Levites. Now tithes were to be in such abundance that He would allocate them to provide for ritual meals for worshippers at the Sanctuary, by providing for the Levites everywhere, and by providing for the poor of the land. <\/p>\n The principle of tithing had already been declared in Lev 27:30-33<\/span> and Num 18:21-24<\/span>. There the principle was that one tenth of all produce, both animal and vegetable, was Yahweh’s and holy to Him. That was the basic principle. But Num 18:21-24<\/span> adds that it was to go to the Levites. Thus while they were in the wilderness it was all passed over to the Levites for their use, it was their inheritance (Num 18:21<\/span>), and they were responsible to ensure that the priests received one tenth of what they received, a tithe of the tithe (Num 18:23-31<\/span>). This was reasonable. Grain, vegetable produce and vintage productivity would be limited in the wilderness and there were many Levites, and at this stage they had no levitical cities with their productive land. The tithe therefore had as far as possible to be sufficient, along with the manna, to satisfy their ample numbers, and the priests’ households had to be catered for as well. There would be little or no surplus of the one tenth of grain, vegetables and vintage. All would be needed for their use. <\/p>\n Thus when Moses spoke of tithes here he knew that the principle was ingrained within them that the tithe was the inheritance of the Levites. And for much of the time in the wilderness vegetable and grain tithes would be small, and sometimes non-existent. Indeed all Israel regularly depended on the manna, both people and Levites. Thus the Levites’ tenth of these would all usually be required for their consumption. <\/p>\n But the introduction in Moses’ speech of the fact that part of these tithes which had been sanctified to Yahweh could now be partaken of by those who offered them, as though it were regular practise, suggests that even in the wilderness the quantity of the tithes had proved too much for the Levites so that they had regularly arranged for the offerers to join them in their ritual meals before Yahweh at the different feasts. This excess would probably mainly have been of the one tenth of the animals, which would have been continually bearing, and this had seemingly become the custom. For there was no restriction placed on what the Levites did with their tithes at the sanctuary. In conditions like the wilderness, where all shared the hardships, camaraderie would be at its highest. Sharing their good things during feasts would be seen as a part of life. But because the tithes were sacred to Yahweh that could only be at the Sanctuary, and only the Levites could partake of tithes away from the Sanctuary, (apart from the three year tithe to be described later). <\/p>\n However, attention now turned to when they entered the land. Once there the produce would increase hugely and as Yahweh blessed them so the tenth portion would also expand hugely, especially the vegetable and grain tithes. There would be far more than the Levites, who would also possess, as a group, places in many cities (levitical cities), and the land around them with what they could produce, could possibly require. So the practise of sharing, which had grown up, was now approved of, with the condition that it all be eaten at the sanctuary because it was Yahweh’s. The principle was not to change. The tenth portion was still Yahweh’s and holy to Him, and one tenth of that had to go to the priests. But now part of the tithe could also be partaken of by the offerer and his household in a ritual meal at the sanctuary before Yahweh as an act of worship (Deu 14:22-27<\/span>), as something being received from Yahweh. Yahweh was to be seen as dispensing His gracious gifts to them at His holy place out of what they had given Him. <\/p>\n There would still necessarily be large amounts over, which, it would be understood, were then to go to the Levites, whose interests had to be protected (they were not to be forsaken). The amount of produce in Israel would in good years be huge, and just one tenth would be huge. And it is probable that all these arrangements for the tenth would be watched over by the Levites, for they had the responsibility of ensuring that the priests received their tenth of the tenth. The tithe of the whole year was far more than could be eaten at ritual meals even of the most generous proportions, thus the Levites would still be well provided for, and it should be noted that the Levites, as Yahweh’s inheritance, could partake of their tithe anywhere (Num 18:31<\/span>), ‘you shall eat it in every place’. <\/p>\n The management and checking of the tithes, and the giving of advice in respect to them, together with the apportioning of a tenth to the priests, would be a huge task. Many of the people would be innumerate, and not well acquainted with the Law, and would find that they needed help and guidance. The oversight of this was clearly the responsibility of the Levites. <\/p>\n It is noteworthy that of the tithes only the vegetable and grain tithes are mentioned here. This is probably because the meat element of the ritual meals would be provided for out of the firstlings, the votive offerings and the freewill offerings. The general tithe of domestic animals born would thus not be required. But it still belonged to Yahweh. If this be the case that would therefore all go to the Levites’ households, with the priests’ households receiving their portion. It may be that many of the animals would be kept alive to provide animals to graze on the joint land owned by the Levites\/priests around their cities, and to provide them with milk, etc. Lev 13:32<\/span>, which speaks of ‘whatever passes under the rod’, may be seen as confirming that these tithes were supervised, presumably by the Levites. <\/p>\n However, a new principle is also later described in Deu 14:28-29<\/span>; Deu 26:12-14<\/span> for every third year. In that year the whole tithe, (still sanctified to Yahweh), will be given by the people to the Levites and stored in the people’s cities to be used to assist the poor and needy, the resident alien, and the Levites themselves. Indeed the offerers were to take pride in the fact before Yahweh that they had handed it over as commanded (Deu 26:13<\/span>). This would be stored and dispensed over the three years that followed, presumably by the Levites. (Someone would need to be responsible for this huge and important task throughout the country). The inclusion of the Levites here as also possible recipients, in spite of their receiving their parts of the regular tithes in the other two years, would cater for bad periods when there had been shortages. Unlike the offerers they were not to be excluded in the third year. <\/p>\n (This storing in their cities may simply refer to the whole of the tithe which was not partaken of in the ritual meals, otherwise there would be no ritual meals that year, thus by it making provision for the poor. But more probably it means that in that year the people were to provide for their ritual meals out of their own share of their produce as an act of kindness to the poor and needy. We can take it that this third year tithe did not have to be brought to the sanctuary first, for it was to be available in its original form, not turned into silver – contrast Deu 14:25<\/span>). <\/p>\n So the law of tithing, the setting apart of one tenth to Yahweh, has now expanded so that the tithe was used as follows: <\/p>\n a). A proportion of the tithe could be consumed by the people at sacred feasts at the Dwellingplace of Yahweh. <\/p>\n b). Every third year the tithe would be set apart for the Levites, the orphans, the widows and the resident aliens. <\/p>\n c). The remainder of the tithes would go to the Levites. <\/p>\n d). One tenth of all tithes was to go to the priests. <\/p>\n 2) Firstlings. <\/strong> All the firstborn (those male animals which first opened the womb) were Yahweh’s because He had delivered them from Egypt, and must thus be dedicated to Yahweh (Exo 13:1<\/span>; Exo 13:11-13<\/span>; Exo 22:29-30<\/span>; Exo 34:19<\/span>; Num 3:13<\/span>; Num 8:16-17<\/span>) and as such they were for the priests to dispose of, sharing them with their families, once they had been slaughtered and the necessary parts sacrificed on the altar (Num 18:15-18<\/span>). And all firstlings of the flocks and herds which were firstfruits were to be for the Levites and priests (the new crop of each season). It seems here also that such was the abundance of these that the custom had grown up that the offerer and his household could also partake of parts of them in ritual meals at the Sanctuary (Deu 15:19-22<\/span>). Otherwise Aaron and his sons and the Levites would not have known what to do with the abundance. Unlike some offerings no restriction is ever laid on the firstlings as forbidding them to be eaten by any who are clean. <\/p>\n 3) Votive offerings and freewill offerings.<\/strong> These were peace (wellbeing) offerings, the former offered in respect of vows, the latter simply a freewill offering to Yahweh. They were to be slaughtered in the court of the Sanctuary, the blood applied to the altar, a part offered on the altar (including the fat and vital parts), portions given to the priests, and the remainder to be eaten by the offerer and his household and friends (compare Lev 7:11-21<\/span>). <\/p>\n 4) The heave offering of their hand<\/strong> (‘the offering that is lifted up in the hand’). For this compare Deu 18:4<\/span>; Deu 26:2<\/span>; Exo 29:27-28<\/span>; Lev 7:14<\/span>; Lev 7:32<\/span>; Lev 10:14-15<\/span>; Num 5:9<\/span>; Num 6:20<\/span>; Num 15:19-21<\/span>; Num 18:8-29<\/span>; Num 31:29<\/span>; Num 31:41<\/span>. The heave offering (or ‘contribution’ offering) was a part of an offering which was set apart for the priests. It was possibly presented before Yahweh by being lifted up before Him and was for the consumption of the priests and their families in a clean place. The heave\/contribution offering of a peace offering comprised the thigh, which went to the officiating priest (Lev 7:30-34<\/span>). (The priests also received the shoulder as a ‘wave offering’). A further heave\/contribution offering was of unleavened cakes mingled with oil and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and cakes mingled with oil of fine flour soaked. This was taken from among the offerings of the same which were made with the peace offerings, and was again for the priests (Lev 7:14<\/span>). Once they were in the land a heave\/contribution offering was also to be made of the first of the dough (Num 15:19-21<\/span>). A heave\/contribution offering could further be made for the priests of a proportion of spoils gained in battle (Num 31:29<\/span>; Num 31:41<\/span>). These heave offerings (or ‘contributions’) were specifically for the priests. <\/p>\n Deu 12:17-18<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n ‘<\/strong> You (thou) may not eat within your gates the tithe of your grain, or of your new wine, or of your oil, or the firstlings of your herd or of your flock, nor any of your vows which you vow, nor your freewill-offerings, nor the heave-offering of your hand, but you shall eat them before Yahweh your God in the place which Yahweh your God shall choose, you, and your son, and your daughter, and your man-servant, and your maid-servant, and the Levite who is within your gates, and you shall rejoice before Yahweh your God in all that you put your hand to.’ <\/p>\n All these offerings were holy to Yahweh. They belonged to Him. Thus they could only be eaten at the appointed place, the site in which the Tabernacle was situated in the presence of Yahweh (‘before Yahweh’). These words were spoken to all Israel. It is not saying that all Israel could eat all that is mentioned. ‘All Israel’ included overall the priests and the Levites. The point here is thus not to say that all could eat of any of these offerings, but that whoever had the right to eat of them should only do so at the place that Yahweh had chosen to set His name and dwelling there and in His presence. They were not to be eaten in their own cities and towns (‘within their gates’). The details of these offerings are given above. All are to participate in one or the other, including servants and bondspeople, and Levites. Care was to be taken to ensure that the Levites did not go short. This command was to the people as a whole. The Levite was permitted to eat the tithe anywhere. <\/p>\n The point for us from all this is that we too should have certain things that we do which are sacred to Yahweh and which we must seek His presence about. The first is our prayer life, for thereby we make our offering of praise and thanksgiving (Heb 13:15<\/span>). The next is the giving of our lives as we present our bodies to Him as a living sacrifice to be transformed to do His will (Rom 12:1-2<\/span>). The next is our Christian giving, our ‘tithes’, for by how we give we demonstrate how much we love God (Mar 12:41-44<\/span>; Luk 12:31-48<\/span>). And so we could go on. In all these we must come to God’s presence and seek His will concerning them. <\/p>\n Deu 12:19<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n ‘<\/strong> Take heed to yourself that you do not forsake the Levite as long as you live in your land.’ <\/p>\n But the warning comes that the Levites were to be the constant concern of the people. They were to ensure that, as Yahweh’s servants, they never went short. They were often in different parts of the land as they carried out their responsibilities, and while tithes and firstlings may have been abundant, they may not have been easily available to individual Levites in the particular place where they were. Thus the people must ensure that their needs were provided for wherever they were, for they were holy to Yahweh. Hospitality was an important part of Israelite life, especially in welcoming Levites who were Yahweh’s servants, which was why the sin committed against the Levite in Judges 19<\/span> was so great. To allow a Levite to go short of food would be to dishonour God Whose servant he was. It would be a slur on His name. Even a cup of cold water given to a Levite out of love for Yahweh would no doubt have its reward. <\/p>\n For the Christian there should be equal concern for those who have been called to serve God in ministry, whether at home or abroad. We must take heed to ourselves that we do not forsake them as long as we live, but are faithful in our genuine and true support so that they do not go short. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/strong> Concerning the Care of the Levites, The Eating of Sacrificial Meat, and Idolatry<\/p>\n v. 17. Thou mayest not eat within thy gates the tithe of thy corn, or of thy wine, or of thy oil, or the firstlings of thy herds or of thy flock, nor any of thy vows which thou vowest, nor thy free-will offerings, or heave-offering of thine hand,<\/strong> whatever was taken from the possession of the Israelites as a gift to Jehovah; all these could not be consumed in the worshiper’s house or in his home town; <\/p>\n v. 18. but thou must eat them before the Lord, thy God, in the place which the Lord, thy God, shall choose,<\/strong> the central Sanctuary, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy man-servant, and thy maid-servant, and the Levite that is within thy gates; and thou shalt rejoice before the Lord, thy God, in all that thou puttest thine hands unto,<\/strong> in any offering that might be made. <\/p>\n v. 19. Take heed to thyself that thou forsake not the Levite as long as thou livest upon the earth,<\/strong> literally, “all thy days upon thy land,” Deu 14:27<\/span>; Neh 13:10<\/span>. <\/p>\n v. 20. When the Lord, thy God, shall enlarge thy border, as He hath promised thee,<\/strong> Exo 34:24<\/span>. and thou shalt say, I will eat flesh, because thy soul longeth to eat flesh,<\/strong> literally, “because the desire of thy soul is set upon eating flesh,” indicating a very great, an overwhelming longing, thou mayest eat flesh, whatsoever thy soul lusteth after,<\/strong> or, wherever they would choose. <\/p>\n v. 21. If the place which the Lord, thy God, hath chosen to put His name there be too far from thee, then thou shalt kill of thy herd and of thy flock which the Lord hath given thee, as I have commanded thee; and thou shalt eat in thy gates whatsoever thy soul lusteth after. <\/p>\n v. 22. Even as the roebuck and the hart is eaten,<\/strong> namely, not in the form of sacrifices, so thou shalt eat them; the<\/strong> (Levitically) unclean and the clean shall eat of them alike. <\/p>\n v. 23. Only be sure that thou eat not the blood,<\/strong> they were to be strong enough to resist the temptation to use blood as food; for the blood is the life, and thou mayest not eat the life with the flesh,<\/strong> Lev 17:11-14<\/span>. <\/p>\n v. 24. Thou shalt not eat it; thou shalt pour it upon the earth as water. <\/p>\n v. 25. Thou shalt not eat it, that it may go well with thee and with thy children after thee, when thou shalt do that which is right in the sight of the Lord,<\/strong> Exo 15:26<\/span>. <\/p>\n v. 26. Only thy holy things which thou hast,<\/strong> those consecrated to the Lord, and thy vows, thou shalt take and go unto the place which the Lord shall choose;<\/strong> <\/p>\n v. 27. and thou shalt offer thy burnt offerings, the flesh and the blood, upon the altar of the Lord, thy God; and the blood of the sacrifices shall be poured out upon the altar of the Lord, thy God,<\/strong> as the Law provided, Lev 1:5<\/span>, and thou shalt eat the flesh,<\/strong> Leviticus 7. <\/p>\n v. 28. Observe and hear all these words which I command thee, that it may go well with thee and with thy children after thee forever, when thou doest that which is good and right in the sight of the Lord, thy God. <\/p>\n v. 29. When the Lord, thy God, shall cut off,<\/strong> eradicate, the nations from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them,<\/strong> by taking over their country, and dwellest in their land,<\/strong> <\/p>\n v. 30. take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them,<\/strong> fall into the same snare of idolatry which caused their downfall, after that they be destroyed from before thee,<\/strong> for that judgment of the Lord should deter them from a similar foolhardy course; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? Even so will I do likewise. <\/strong> They should not even inquire about the form of worship used by the heathen, lest they be tempted to try it for themselves. <\/p>\n v. 31. Thou shalt not do so unto the Lord, thy God,<\/strong> not try to serve Him with a form of worship modeled after that of the heathen nations; for every abomination to the Lord which he hateth have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burned in the fire to their gods,<\/strong> as the Moabites did in their service of Molech. It is a dangerous matter to Christianize heathen customs, for the superstition will cling to the rites after the Christian veneer is forgotten, as in many Christmas customs. <\/p>\n v. 32. What thing soever I command you, observe to do it; thou shalt not add thereto nor diminish from it,<\/strong> Jos 1:7<\/span>. The Revelation of Scripture is sufficient for all purposes and teaches the way of salvation in a perfect manner. All books of modern antichristian sects which purport to be keys to the Bible are inventions of the Evil One. <\/p>\n Ver. <\/em><\/strong>17. <\/strong>Thou mayest not eat within thy gates<\/em><\/strong><\/strong> A free dispensation being given them to eat their common food without religious ceremonies, it is here enjoined what they were to eat with such ceremonies. The tithe <\/em>here means, as in the 2nd verse, the second tithe. <\/em>As the firstlings <\/em>of their cattle were to be given to the priests, Num 18:15<\/span> and of course might not be eaten by the owners, anywhere, interpreters are of opinion, that firstlings <\/em>here must mean, either 1. Females; for the males only are offered to God: or, 2. Such as, after setting aside their first-born, were then by the owner dedicated to God; for, as the tithe here is to be understood of the second tithe, so may the firstlings be understood in a like sense: or, 3. The word, which we render firstlings, <\/em>may signify the fattest and best; for it sometimes denotes the most excellent in its kind; as the first-born of death <\/em>is a very great and incurable disease: Job 18:13<\/span> so the poorest of all mortals are called the first-born of the poor; <\/em>Isa 14:30<\/span>. See Calmet and Le Clerc. <\/p>\n It is worthy observation, what attention is shown, in the appointment of every religious rite, to the place of offering. And the reason is plain. It is JESUS, as the sum and substance of all which is referred to. In him every service had its fulfillment, to him all pointed, and from him the whole efficacy was derived. Blessed Redeemer! may I never lose sight of thee in all places, in all thy churches, in all thine ordinances, in all thy ways and works! And do thou dearest LORD be in my heart and the heart of all thy people, the hope and only hope of glory! Col 1:27<\/span> .<\/p>\n wine. Hebrew. tirosh. App-27. <\/p>\n hand. Some codices, with Samaritan Pentateuch, The Targum of Jonathan ben Uzziel Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, read “hands” (plural) <\/p>\n the tithe: Deu 12:6, Deu 12:11, Deu 14:22-29, Deu 26:12, Deu 26:14, Lev 27:30-32, Num 18:21-24 <\/p>\n Reciprocal: Gen 14:20 – tithes Lev 7:16 – be a vow Lev 19:24 – all the Lev 22:18 – freewill Num 15:3 – or in a freewill Num 31:47 – the Levites Deu 14:23 – eat before Deu 15:19 – thou shalt do Deu 15:20 – General Jos 22:27 – that we 1Sa 1:4 – offered 2Ch 31:14 – the freewill Ezr 3:5 – willingly Neh 10:39 – For the children Eze 44:3 – to eat<\/p>\n Deu 12:17. Within thy gates That is, in your private habitations, here opposed to the place of Gods worship.<\/p>\n 12:17 Thou mayest not eat within thy gates the {l} tithe of thy corn, or of thy wine, or of thy oil, or the firstlings of thy herds or of thy flock, nor any of thy vows which thou vowest, nor thy freewill offerings, or heave offering of thine hand:<\/p>\n (l) Meaning, whatever was offered to the Lord, may not be eaten, except where he had appointed.<\/p>\n Thou mayest not eat within thy gates the tithe of thy corn, or of thy wine, or of thy oil, or the firstlings of thy herds or of thy flock, nor any of thy vows which thou vowest, nor thy freewill offerings, or heave offering of thine hand: Thou; either, 1. Thou, O Levite; or … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Deuteronomy 12:17”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5266","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-commentary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5266","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5266"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5266\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5266"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5266"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5266"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"