The Israelite proclaims his faith
1 ① When you come into the land which Yahweh, your God, gives you as an inheritance, when you possess it and dwell in it, 2you shall take the firstfruits of all your harvests, place them in a large basket and bring it to the place chosen by Yahweh, your God, as the dwelling place for his Name.
3Present these to the priest who is in office, and say to him, “On this day, I confess that Yahweh, my God, let me enter into the land he promised our fathers that he would give us.” 4Then the priest shall take the large basket from your hands and place it before the altar of Yahweh, your God, 5and you shall say these words before Yahweh, “My father was a wandering Aramean. He went down to Egypt to find refuge there, while still few in number; but in that country, he became a great and powerful nation.
6The Egyptians maltreated us, oppressed us and subjected us to harsh slavery. 7So we called to Yahweh, the God of our ancestors, and Yahweh listened to us. He saw our humiliation, our hard labor and the oppression to which we were subjected. 8He brought us out of Egypt with a firm hand, manifesting his power with signs and awesome wonders. 9And he brought us here to give us this land flowing with milk and honey. 10So now I bring and offer the firstfruits of the land which you, Yahweh, have given me.”
11You shall place these before Yahweh, bow before him and worship Yahweh, your God. Afterwards, you and your household shall feast on all the good things Yahweh has given you and your family. The Levite and the foreigner who lives among you shall also feast with you.
12On the third year, the year of tithing, when you have finished separating the tithes from all your harvests and have given them to the Levite, the foreigner, the widow and the orphan, that they may eat within your very city until they are satisfied, 13you shall say in the presence of Yahweh,
“I have brought out of my house the sacred share. I have given it to the Levite, the foreigner, the orphan and the widow according to the commandments that you have given me, without going against any of them or forgetting them. 14Of that tithe I have not eaten anything in time of mourning, or removed any of it while I was unclean. I have offered nothing to the dead. I have obeyed the voice of Yahweh, my God, and have done as he has commanded me.
15From your sanctuary, from on high in the heavens, look down and bless your people Israel, as you bless the land which you have given us just as you had promised to our ancestors, the land flowing with milk and honey.”
16On this day, Yahweh, your God, commands you to fulfill these norms and these commandments. Obey them now and put them into practice with all your heart and with all your soul.
17Today Yahweh has declared to you that he will be your God, and so you shall follow his ways, observing his norms, his commandments and his laws, and listening to his voice.
18Today Yahweh has declared that you will be his very own people even as he had promised you, and you must obey all his commandments. 19He, for his part, will give you honor, renown and glory, and set you high above all the nations he has made, and you will become a nation consecrated to Yahweh, your God, as he has declared.
- Dt 26,1 My father was an Aramean. This paragraph is like a profession of faith for the Israelites. They know they were chosen from among pagan Arameans and that God, after liberating them, had given them the prosperity they were enjoying. Likewise, the various formulations of the creed which the Church now uses, place at the very center the liberating work that God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, realizes for our benefit.
