Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

thou shalt say . . . A Syrian ready to perish was my father--rather, "a wandering Syrian." The ancestors of the Hebrews were nomad shepherds, either Syrians by birth as Abraham, or by long residence as Jacob. When they were established as a nation in the possession of the promised land, they were indebted to God's unmerited goodness for their distinguished privileges, and in token of gratitude they brought this basket of first-fruits.

thou shalt rejoice--feasting with friends and the Levites, who were invited on such occasions to share in the cheerful festivities that followed oblations (Deu 12:7; Deu 16:10-15).

When thou hast made an end of tithing all the tithes of thine increase the third year--Among the Hebrews there were two tithings. The first was appropriated to the Levites (Num 18:21). The second, being the tenth of what remained, was brought to Jerusalem in kind; or it was converted into money, and the owner, on arriving in the capital, purchased sheep, bread, and oil (Deu 14:22-23). This was done for two consecutive years. But this second tithing was eaten at home, and the third year distributed among the poor of the place (Deu 14:28-29).

thou shalt say before the Lord thy God, I have brought away the hallowed things out of mine house--This was a solemn declaration that nothing which should be devoted to the divine service had been secretly reserved for personal use.

I have not eaten thereof in my mourning--in a season of sorrow, which brought defilement on sacred things; under a pretense of poverty, and grudging to give any away to the poor. neither . . . for any unclean use--that is, any common purpose, different from what God had appointed and which would have been a desecration of it. nor given ought thereof for the dead--on any funeral service, or, to an idol, which is a dead thing. Next: Deuteronomy Chapter 27