Deuteronomy 14:26

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 God’s 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.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

14:26 Both wine and other alcoholic drink were used in worship ceremonies (Gen 14:18; 35:14; Exod 29:40-41; Matt 26:27) and in celebrations; they signified God’s blessing (Gen 27:25, 28; 49:11; 1 Chr 12:40; Ps 104:15; Song 4:10; 5:1; Isa 25:6; Matt 26:29).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

After the Priest hath received the Lord’s part.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

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.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(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 Ma’aser Shênî, “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., shêcar; Greek, sikêr) in Luk_1:15.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

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—

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And the Levite, because he hath no part nor inheritance with thee,.... Shall come and take the first tithe, according to Jarchi; but though this he was to do, yet is not what is intended here, but he was to partake of the second tithe, or what was in the room of it, the poor's tithe, with whom he is here joined:

and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, which are within thy gates, shall come; and take the second tithe, as the above writer rightly interprets it, and which he says is the poor's of this year; see Deu 12:12,

and shall eat and be satisfied; make a plentiful meal, eat freely as at a feast; and, as the same writer observes, they were not obliged to eat it at Jerusalem, according to the way they were bound to eat the second tithe of the two years, that is, the two preceding this:

that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hand which thou doest; as might be expected, when his commands, and particularly those respecting the tithes and firstlings, were obeyed.

Next: Deuteronomy Chapter 15

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Herds. Hebrew, "oxen." --- Sheep; under which name are comprised goats.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Strong drink; shecar (rkve). "Any drink which can inebriate, whether that is made from grain, or the juice of apples, or when honey is boiled into a sweet and barbarous potion, or the fruit of the palm dates, is expressed into liquor, and the duller water is colored by the prepared fruits" (Jerome, "De Vit. Cler.").

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

for whatever you desire

"for whatever you want"

before Yahweh

"in the presence of Yahweh"

The Levite who is within your gates

Here "gate" represents the entire city or town. AT: "Any Levite who lives in your towns" (See: Synecdoche)

do not forsake him

This can be stated in positive form. AT: "make sure to give some of your tithe to the Levite" (See: Double Negatives)

for he has no portion nor inheritance with you

The tribe of Levi did not receive a portion of land as their inheritance. Their share of the inheritance was the honor of serving Yahweh as his priests. The full meaning of this statement can be made explicit. (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

no portion nor inheritance with you

God not giving land to the Levites is spoken of as if he were not giving them an inheritance. (See: Metaphor)

translationWords

cow

ewe

wine

strong drink

joy

household

Levi

gate

inherit

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

בכל אשר תאוה נפשך [AND THOU SHALT GIVE THAT MONEY] FOR WHATSOEVER THY SOUL LONGETH AFTER — this is a general statement,

בבקר ובצאן וביין ובשכר FOR ANY OF THE HERD, OR ANY OF THE FLOCK, OR FOR WINE, OR FOR STRONG DRINK — this is a particularisation,

ובכל אשר תאוה נפשך OR FOR WHATEVER THY SOUL DESIRES — Scripture again includes them in a general statement. [The rule is that when a verse expresses a כְּלָל, a פְּרָט, and then a כְּלָל again, as in this case, we apply the characteristics of the פְּרָט to the whole matter. Therefore,] just as the particulars mentioned have the characteristic of being products (ולד) of things themselves produced by the earth during the week of Creation, and are fitted to be food for man, etc. [So, too, the money must be expended only on things of this character] (Eruvin 27b).

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

You and your household. You are your sons are obligated, and your household is optional, for the mitzvah of coming to Yerushalayim three times a year is only on males. A woman who comes to this chosen place, like Elkana’s wives, receives reward.

Ibn Ezra on the Tanakh — English translations: “Sefaria Community Translation” (CC0 1.0 (public-domain dedication)); “Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009” (CC BY 4.0); and “Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873” (public domain). Text via Sefaria.