Deuteronomy 26:13 · Bible study
Deuteronomy 26:13 Commentary: The Faithful Steward's Declaration
Hebrew · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why does the worshiper publicly confess perfect obedience after giving the third-year tithe?
Research Summary
- Meaning: A public declaration before God that the third-year tithe for the poor has been given in full, with integrity and without neglect.
- Key words: ba'ar (remove, clean out), qodesh (holy thing, set apart), shakach (forget, ignore).
- Main debate: Whether the claim “I have not transgressed any of your commandments” refers to general sinlessness or is limited to the specific tithe command.
- Theological theme: The connection between faithful stewardship and honest confession before an all-seeing God.
- Best use: Teaching on the integrity of giving, the priority of caring for the vulnerable, and the finished work of Christ as the basis for our confidence before God.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Then you shall declare in the presence of the LORD your God, “I have removed from my house the sacred portion and have given it to the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow, according to all the commandments You have given me. I have not transgressed or forgotten Your commandments.
WEB World English Bible 2000
You shall say before Yahweh your God, “I have put away the holy things out of my house, and also have given them to the Levite, to the foreigner, to the fatherless, and to the widow, according to all your commandment which you have commanded me. I have not transgressed any of your commandments, neither have I forgotten them.
KJV King James Version 1769
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:
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And thou shalt say before Jehovah thy God, I have put away the hallowed things out of my house, and also have given them unto the Levite, and unto the sojourner, to the fatherless, and to the widow, according to all thy commandment which thou hast commanded me: I have not transgressed any of thy commandments, neither have I forgotten them:
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and thou hast said before Jehovah thy God, I have put away the separated thing out of the house, and also have given it to the Levite, and to the sojourner, and to the orphan, and to the widow, according to all Thy command which Thou hast commanded me; I have not passed over from Thy commands, nor have I forgotten.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
and thou shalt say before Jehovah thy God, I have brought away the hallowed things out of the house, and also have given them to the Levite, and to the stranger, to the fatherless, and to the widow, according to all thy commandment which thou hast commanded me; I have not transgressed nor forgotten [any] of thy commandments:
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And thou shalt speak thus in the sight of the Lord thy God: I have taken that which was sanctified out of my house, and I have given it to the Levite, and to the stranger, and to the fatherless, and to the widow, as thou hast commanded me: I have not transgressed thy commandments nor forgotten thy precepts.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y dirás delante de Jehová tu Dios: Yo he sacado lo consagrado de mi casa, y también lo he dado al Levita, y al extranjero, y al huérfano, y á la viuda, conforme á todos tus mandamientos que me ordenaste: no he traspasado tus mandamientos, ni me he olvidado de ellos:
E dirás diante do SENHOR teu Deus: Eu tirei o consagrado de minha casa, e também o dei ao levita, e ao estrangeiro, e ao órfão, e à viúva, conforme todos os teus mandamentos que me ordenaste: não transgredi teus mandamentos, nem me esqueci deles.
Tu diras devant l’ Éternel, ton Dieu: J’ ai ôté de ma maison ce qui est consacré, et je l’ ai donné au Lévite, à l’ étranger, à l’ orphelin et à la veuve, selon tous les ordres que tu m’ as prescrits; je n’ ai transgressé ni oublié aucun de tes commandements.
Und sollst sprechen vor dem HERRN, deinem Gott: Ich habe gebracht, was geheiligt ist, aus meinem Hause und habe es gegeben den Leviten, den Fremdlingen, den Waisen und den Witwen nach all deinem Gebot, das du mir geboten hast; ich habe deine Gebote nicht übertreten noch vergessen;
En gij zult voor het aangezicht des HEEREN, uws Gods, zeggen: Ik heb het heilige uit het huis weggenomen, en heb het ook aan den Leviet en aan den vreemdeling, aan den wees en aan de weduwe gegeven, naar al Uw geboden, die Gij mij geboden hebt; ik heb niets van Uw geboden overtreden, en niets vergeten.
dirai, dinanzi all’Eterno, al tuo Dio: “Io ho tolto dalla mia casa ciò che era consacrato, e l’ho dato al Levita, allo straniero, all’orfano e alla vedova, interamente secondo gli ordini che mi hai dato; non ho trasgredito né dimenticato alcuno dei tuoi comandamenti.
Tedy rzeczesz przed obliczem Pana, Boga twego: Wyniosłem co jest poświęcone z domu swego, i dałem też z tego Lewicie, i przychodniowi, sierocie i wdowie, według wszelkiego przykazania twego, któreś mi przykazał; nie przestąpiłem przykazania twego, anim go zapominał;
тогда скажи пред Господом Богом твоим: я отобрал от дома [моего] святыню и отдал ее левиту, пришельцу, сироте и вдове, по всем повелениям Твоим, которые Ты заповедал мне: я не преступил заповедей Твоих и не забыл;
你又要在耶和華─你 神 面前 說：『我已將聖物 從 我家 裡拿出來， 給了 利未人 和寄居的，與孤兒 寡婦，是照你所 吩咐我 的一切 命令。你的命令 我都沒有 違背，也沒有 忘記。
And say before the Lord your God, I have taken all the holy things out of my house and have given them to the Levite, and the man from a strange land, and him who has no father, and the widow, as you have given me orders: I have kept in mind all your orders, in nothing have I gone against them:
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Deuteronomy 26:13
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree this verse records a solemn declaration made after the faithful distribution of the third-year tithe. The worshiper affirms before Yahweh that the consecrated portion, what belongs to God and His appointed recipients, has been entirely removed from the house and given to the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow. Gill notes that the Hebrew verb ba'ar means to clean out or wipe away, treating the tithe as a debt that must be fully discharged. The twin negatives, “I have not transgressed … neither have I forgotten,” are not a claim to lifelong sinlessness. Keil and Delitzsch insist this is a specific account of obedience to the tithe command, springing from a sober awareness of how easily one may fail. Matthew Henry adds that this is a solemn protestation, like an oath, that the worshiper has been faithful in that particular duty. All traditions read the verse as an act of worship, not a boast of perfection.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Limited stewardship confession: The context (vv.12-15) only concerns the tithe; the verbs “transgressed” and “forgotten” refer directly to the tithe command; commentators like Keil and Matthew Henry read it this way.
- Broad claim of obedience: The wording “not transgressed any of your commandments” sounds universal; some readers (including many in the ancient church) take it as a general testimony of covenant faithfulness.
- Model of pharisaic self-righteousness: A few Christian interpreters (e.g., radical reformers, some modern preachers) read the verse negatively, as an example of legalism corrected by the gospel.
What is clear: The worshiper makes a public affirmation before God that the third-year tithe has been given faithfully to the vulnerable groups specified in the law.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Scope of the confession | The declaration refers to the faithful distribution of the third-year tithe as commanded in Deuteronomy. | Some Christians read the claim “I have not transgressed any of your commandments” as a statement of general obedience to the whole law; others, following Keil and Matthew Henry, understand it as a specific accounting for the tithe laws only. |
| Location of the declaration | The worshiper makes this statement “before Yahweh,” understood as an act of worship addressed to God. | Wesley and Keil argue it was spoken in the local town, not at the sanctuary, while some older Jewish traditions (Rashi, cited by Ellicott) imply it was recited at the temple. Both views affirm God’s presence anywhere. |
| Application for Christians | The passage teaches the importance of intentional, honest giving that reaches the vulnerable. | Traditions differ on whether tithing remains a binding obligation for Christians. Some see this as a model of cheerful generosity; others retain the third-year tithe concept in special offerings for the poor. |
Historical & Cultural Context
This declaration belongs to the third-year tithe, a distinctive provision in Israel’s agricultural economy. Every third year, instead of using the second tithe for a festive meal at the sanctuary (Deuteronomy 14:22-27), the family kept it at home and distributed it to those who had no land-based income: the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow (14:28-29). The verse forms the climactic confession after the distribution was complete.
The phrase “before Yahweh your God” has prompted discussion. Wesley notes the declaration was made in the worshiper’s own town, not at the central sanctuary. Keil and Delitzsch agree it means “before God the omnipresent One,” as the prayer that follows looks toward heaven (v.15). The location underscores that God sees every faithful act, even when no priest or officer verifies it.
The term “holy things” (Hebrew qodesh) points to what is set apart for God, the tithe itself, consecrated to His service. The verb ba'ar (clean out, remove) paints the act as clearing a debt. The worshiper is not offering a gift from his surplus but returning what already belongs to the Lord and His people. The second half of the verse, with its double disavowal, shows that the command was known and consciously obeyed. The cross-references to Deuteronomy 24:19-21 and Job 31:16-20 confirm that this kind of integrity in providing for the vulnerable was a hallmark of covenant faithfulness.
Textual Notes
The supplied commentaries and lexical sources note no significant textual variants for Deuteronomy 26:13. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscripts.
Reception History
Christian readers have returned to this verse most often when teaching on the integrity of giving. The early church saw in the phrase “before Yahweh” a reminder that all giving is done in God’s presence; the fourth-century catechetical lectures of Cyril of Jerusalem treat similar confessional forms as preparation for receiving communion. Medieval interpreters such as Rashi (though Jewish, his work influenced Christian exegesis) focused on distinguishing the tithes. The Protestant Reformers, including Calvin and the Geneva Bible annotators, used the verse to stress that true worship includes care for the poor, while also warning that the declaration could be misread as a boast. In modern scholarship, Keil and Delitzsch warn against a “pharisaic self-righteousness” reading, insisting the confession flows from an honest awareness that obedience is a gift. The verse has also been a touchstone for movements emphasising covenant renewal and corporate confession.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Cleaning out the house. The tithe is not optional charity but a holy debt owed to God. We remove what is His from our possession, acknowledging His ownership over everything.
- Giving to the vulnerable. The specific list, Levite, foreigner, fatherless, widow, shows God’s heart for those without land, without rights, without protection. Our giving should reflect God’s priorities.
- Not forgotten. The worshiper claims not to have transgressed or forgotten. This is a call to purposeful, remembered obedience, not a perfect record, but a faithful accounting of one specific command.
Five-point outline
- An act of worship. Giving the tithe is preceded and followed by prayer. It is a sacred act, not a transaction.
- Supporting the landless. The Levite had no territorial inheritance; the tithe was his income. This teaches a church to provide for those who serve.
- Extending to the outsider. The foreigner (ger) lacked inherited rights. God’s people are to include the marginal.
- Catching the most vulnerable. Fatherless and widow appear repeatedly in Deuteronomy as wards of the community. Giving protects the unprotected.
- A clean confession. The declaration ends with “I have not transgressed … nor forgotten.” This integrity allows the worshiper to pray boldly for blessing (v.15).
Illustration hooks
- A taxpayer signing a return after carefully reporting all income, the relief of an honest accounting.
- A family cooking and delivering meals to a neighbour in crisis, not because they must but because they see the need.
- A church budget meeting where the congregation chooses to increase support for a local food bank rather than fund a building upgrade.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does my giving actually reach people who are vulnerable, or does it only go to things I can see and benefit from?
- Can I honestly say I have followed through on what I committed to give, or do I let good intentions fade?
- If I cannot claim to have kept all God’s commands perfectly, what do I do with the guilt this verse stirs up in me?
Leading a Discussion
This verse is part of a liturgy of giving. The worshiper stands before God and recites what has been done with the tithe. It may sound like a claim to perfection, but its purpose is different: it invites us to examine our honesty in stewardship and to recognise our need for a righteousness beyond our own.
Discussion questions
- Read verses 12-15. What actions does the worshiper say he has performed? What does he say he has avoided?
- Why do you think the recipients of the tithe are listed so specifically, Levite, foreigner, fatherless, widow? What does this tell us about God’s concerns?
- What does it mean that the holy things were to be “removed” or “cleaned out” of the house (the verb ba’ar)? What does that imply about the owner’s relationship with the tithe?
- The worshiper says, “I have not transgressed any of your commandments, neither have I forgotten them.” Is this a claim to sinless perfection? How do the surrounding verses limit the scope of this claim?
- How does this declaration function as a confession and not a boast? What role does it play in preparing the worshiper to pray for blessing (v.15)?
- If you had to make a similar declaration about your own giving, what would be the hardest part to say truthfully? What would you want to say differently?
- Where do you see Jesus fulfilling what this imperfect worshiper could only intend? How does the gospel change how we read this passage?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Deuteronomy 14:29 | The Levite, because he has no portion nor inheritance with you, as well as the foreigner living among you, the fatherless, and the widow who are within your gates shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that Yahweh your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do. |
| Deuteronomy 24:19 | When you reap your harvest in your field, and have forgotten a sheaf in the field, you shall not go again to get it. It shall be for the foreigner, for the fatherless, and for the widow, that Yahweh your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. |
| Deuteronomy 24:21 | When you harvest your vineyard, you shall not glean it after yourselves. It shall be for the foreigner, for the fatherless, and for the widow. |
| Deuteronomy 26:12 | When you have finished tithing all the tithe of your increase in the third year, which is the year of tithing, then you shall give it to the Levite, to the foreigner, to the fatherless, and to the widow, that they may eat within your gates and be filled. |
| Job 31:16 | “If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail, |
| Job 31:20 | if his heart hasn’t blessed me, if he hasn’t been warmed with my sheep’s fleece; |
| Psalms 18:21 | For I have kept the ways of Yahweh, and have not wickedly departed from my God. |
| Psalms 18:24 | Therefore Yahweh has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible commentary highlights that the two rites described, the presentation of firstfruits and the distribution of tithes, perfectly capture the heart of Deuteronomy's worship ideals. Worship must be national yet family-based, historical and joyful, and equally attentive to what is owed to God and what is owed to the poor. These peaceful closing ceremonies sum up the entire ritual teaching.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note emphasizes the worshiper's claim to complete obedience: the tithe was not only brought and properly distributed, but every related command was kept and none forgotten. This thorough declaration underscores the seriousness of exact faithfulness in the offering.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill observes that this declaration was made in the owner's local gates, not at the central sanctuary. He also interprets "hallowed things" broadly—not only the tithe but everything set apart for holy purposes, especially for the poor. The confession of not transgressing or forgetting refers to neither willful disobedience nor careless neglect.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB notes that this statement is a solemn declaration before God. It confirms that nothing set apart for His service has been secretly kept back for personal use.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch observe that only the third-year tithe is explicitly commanded with a prayer, because the analogy with firstfruits already covered the others. They clarify that "saying before the Lord" means praying to God as omnipresent, not necessarily at the sanctuary. The declaration of obedience is a humble accounting, not pharisaic self-righteousness.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry emphasizes that the third-year tithe, given to the poor without priestly supervision, required a solemn declaration before God as a public testimony of faithful stewardship. This oath-like protestation confirmed the giver had handled the sacred trust honestly and according to God's command.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley notes that "before the Lord" here refers to private prayer at home while distributing tithes, not a public ceremony at Jerusalem. The phrase demands a solemn, reverent attitude, acknowledging God's presence and glory even in everyday domestic acts of giving.