Deuteronomy 26:12

Deuteronomy 26:12

When thou hast made an end of tithing all the tithes of thine increase the third year, which is the year of tithing, and hast given it unto the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, that they may eat within thy gates, and be filled;

a. ASV: When thou hast made an end of tithing all the tithe of thine increase in the third year, which is the year of tithing, then thou shalt give it unto the Levite, to the sojourner, to the fatherless, and to the widow, that they may eat within thy gates, and be filled.

b. YLT: 'When thou dost complete to tithe all the tithe of thine increase in the third year, the year of the tithe, then thou hast given to the Levite, to the sojourner, to the fatherless, and to the widow, and they have eaten within thy gates, and been satisfied,

c. Amplified Bible Classic: When you have finished paying all the tithe of your produce the third year, which is the year of tithing, and have given it to the Levite, the stranger and the sojourner, the fatherless, and to the widow, that they may eat within your towns and be filled,

d. Septuagint: And when thou shalt have completed all the tithings of thy fruits in the third year, thou shalt give the second tenth to the Levite, and stranger, and fatherless, and widow; and they shall eat it in thy cities, and be merry.

e. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/Writings: When you will finish tithing every tithe of your produce in the third year, the year of the tithe, you shall give to the Levite, to the proselyte, to the orphan, and to the widow, and they shall eat in your cities and be satisfied.

1. “When thou hast made an end of tithing all the tithes of thine increase the third year, which is the year of tithing…”

a. When [Strong: 3588 kiy kee a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed:--and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-)as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al- )though, + till, truly, + until, when, whether, while, whom, yea, yet.]

b. [thou hast] made an end [Strong: 3615  kâlâh, kaw-law'; a primitive root; to end, whether intransitive (to cease, be finished, perish) or transitive (to complete, prepare, consume):—accomplish, cease, consume (away), determine, destroy (utterly), be (when... were) done, (be an) end (of), expire, (cause to) fail, faint, finish, fulfil, × fully, × have, leave (off), long, bring to pass, wholly reap, make clean riddance, spend, quite take away, waste.]

c. [of] tithing [Strong: 6237 ʻâsar, aw-sar'; a primitive root (identical with H6238); to accumulate; but used only as denominative from H6235; to tithe, i.e. to take or give a tenth:—× surely, give (take) the tenth, (have, take) tithe(-ing, -s), × truly.]

d. all [Strong: 3605 kol kole or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever).

e. [the] tithes [Strong: 4643 maʻăsêr, mah-as-ayr'; or מַעֲשַׂר maʻăsar; and (in plural) feminine מַעַשְׂרָה maʻasrâh; from H6240; a tenth; especially a tithe:—tenth (part), tithe(-ing).]

f. [of you] increase [Strong: 8393 tᵉbûwʼâh, teb-oo-aw'; from H935; income, i.e. produce (literally or figuratively):—fruit, gain, increase, revenue.]

g. [the] third [Strong: 7992 shᵉlîyshîy, shel-ee-shee'; ordinal from H7969; third; feminine a third (part); by extension, a third (day, year or time); specifically, a third-story cell):—third (part, rank, time), three (years old).]

h. year [Strong: 8141 shâneh, shaw-neh'; (in plural or (feminine) שָׁנָה shânâh; from H8138; a year (as a revolution of time):— whole age, × long, old, year(× -ly).]

i. [which is the] year [Strong: 8141 shâneh, shaw-neh'; (in plural or (feminine) שָׁנָה shânâh; from H8138; a year (as a revolution of time):— whole age, × long, old, year(× -ly).]

j. [of] tithing [Strong: 4643 maʻăsêr, mah-as-ayr'; or מַעֲשַׂר maʻăsar; and (in plural) feminine מַעַשְׂרָה maʻasrâh; from H6240; a tenth; especially a tithe:—tenth (part), tithe(-ing).]

1). Every third year, every three years, was the year of tithing. In that third year the Israelite was required by Mosaic law to tithe three separate tithes. This is arrived at from the three distinct destinations for each tithe.

a). First tithe:

(1) Leviticus 27:30-33 And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord's: it is holy unto the Lord.

27:31 And if a man will at all redeem ought of his tithes, he shall add thereto the fifth part thereof.

27:32 And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the Lord.

27:33 He shall not search whether it be good or bad, neither shall he change it: and if he change it at all, then both it and the change thereof shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed.

(2) Numbers 18:21-24 And, behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation.

18:22 Neither must the children of Israel henceforth come nigh the tabernacle of the congregation, lest they bear sin, and die.

18:23 But the Levites shall do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they shall bear their iniquity: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations, that among the children of Israel they have no inheritance.

18:24 But the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer as an heave offering unto the Lord, I have given to the Levites to inherit: therefore I have said unto them, Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.

b). Second tithe:

(1) Deuteronomy 14:22-27 Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year.

14:23 And thou shalt eat before the Lord thy God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the Lord thy God always.

14:24 And if the way be too long for thee, so that thou art not able to carry it; or if the place be too far from thee, which the Lord thy God shall choose to set his name there, when the Lord thy God hath blessed thee:

14:25 Then shalt thou turn it into money, and bind up the money in thine hand, and shalt go unto the place which the Lord thy God shall choose:

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 Lordthy God, and thou shalt rejoice, thou, and thine household,

14:27 And the Levite that is within thy gates; thou shalt not forsake him; for he hath no part nor inheritance with thee.

(2) Deuteronomy 12:17-19 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:

12:18 But thou must eat them before the Lord thy God in the place which the Lord thy God shall choose, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, 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.

12:19 Take heed to thyself that thou forsake not the Levite as long as thou livest upon the earth.

c). Third tithe:

(1) Deuteronomy 26:12 When thou hast made an end of tithing all the tithes of thine increase the third year, which is the year of tithing, and hast given it unto the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, that they may eat within thy gates, and be filled;

(2) Deuteronomy 14:28, 29 At the end of three years thou shalt bring forth all the tithe of thine increase the same year, and shalt lay it up within thy gates:

14:29 And the Levite, (because he hath no part nor inheritance with thee,) and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, which are within thy gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hand which thou doest.

2. “…and hast given it unto the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless…”

a. [and hast] given [it] [Strong: 5414  nâthan, naw-than'; a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.):—add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, × avenge, × be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, × doubtless, × without fail, fasten, frame, × get, give (forth, over, up), grant, hang (up), × have, × indeed, lay (unto charge, up), (give) leave, lend, let (out), lie, lift up, make, O that, occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, × pull, put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send (out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), sing, slander, strike, (sub-) mit, suffer, × surely, × take, thrust, trade, turn, utter, weep, willingly, withdraw, would (to) God, yield.]

b. [unto the] Levite [Strong: 3881 Lêvîyîy, lay-vee-ee'; or לֵוִי Lêvîy; patronymically from H3878; a Levite or descendant of Levi:—Leviite.]

c. [the] stranger [Strong: 1616 gêr, gare; or (fully) geyr (gare); from H1481; properly, a guest; by implication, a foreigner:—alien, sojourner, stranger.]

d. [the] fatherless [Strong: 3490 yâthôwm, yaw-thome'; from an unused root meaning to be lonely; a bereaved person:—fatherless (child), orphan.]

3. “...and the widow, that they may eat within thy gates, and be filled;”

a. [and the] widow [Strong: 490 ʼalmânâh, al-maw-naw'; feminine of H488; a widow; also a desolate place:—desolate house (palace), widow.]

b. [that they may] eat [Strong: 398 ʼâkal, aw-kal'; a primitive root; to eat (literally or figuratively):—× at all, burn up, consume, devour(-er, up), dine, eat(-er, up), feed (with), food, × freely, × in...wise(-deed, plenty), (lay) meat, × quite.]

c. within thy gates [Strong: 8179 shaʻar, shah'-ar; from H8176 in its original sense; an opening, i.e. door or gate:—city, door, gate, port (× -er).]

d. [and] be filled [Strong: 7646 sâbaʻ, saw-bah'; or שָׂבֵעַ sâbêaʻ; a primitive root; to sate, i.e. fill to satisfaction (literally or figuratively):—have enough, fill (full, self, with), be (to the) full (of), have plenty of, be satiate, satisfy (with), suffice, be weary of.]

1). The Levite was given the first tithe; the second tithe was to basically finance the family’s trips to Jerusalem during the three required festivals, and the third tithe was to feed the stranger, the fatherless and the poor within my gates. It appears that after they had tithed all three tithes they had to make a confession or vow that they had fully obeyed God in their tithing. The confession is in the next three verses which we will cover.

a). Deuteronomy 26:13-15 Then thou shalt say before the Lord thy God, I have brought away the hallowed things out of mine house, and also have given them unto the Levite, and unto the stranger, to the fatherless, and to the widow, according to all thy commandments which thou hast commanded me: I have not transgressed thy commandments, neither have I forgotten them.

26:14 I have not eaten thereof in my mourning, neither have I taken away ought thereof for any unclean use, nor given ought thereof for the dead: but I have hearkened to the voice of the Lord my God, and have done according to all that thou hast commanded me.

26:15 Look down from thy holy habitation, from heaven, and bless thy people Israel, and the land which thou hast given us, as thou swarest unto our fathers, a land that floweth with milk and honey.