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英文原文
Moses in this chapter teaches them, I. To distinguish themselves from their neighbours by a singularity, 1. In their mourning, De 14:1,2. 2. In their meat, De 14:3-21. II. To devote themselves unto God, and, in token of that, to give him his dues out of their estates, the yearly tithe, and that every third year, for the maintenance of their religious feasts, the Levites, and the poor, De 14:22-29, etc.
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What Might Be Eaten, and What Not (1451 BC)
繁體中文
可吃與不可吃之物（主前1451年）
¹ 你們是耶和華─你們神的兒女；不可為死人用刀劃身，也不可將額上剃光。 ² 因為你歸耶和華─你神為聖潔的民，耶和華從地上的萬民中，揀選你特作自己的子民。 ³ 凡可憎的物都不可吃。 ⁴ 可吃的牲畜就是牛、綿羊、山羊、 ⁵ 鹿、羚羊、麃子、野山羊、麋鹿、黃羊、青羊。 ⁶ 凡分蹄成兩瓣、倒嚼的走獸，你們都可以吃。 ⁷ 但那些倒嚼、或分蹄之中不可吃的，乃是駱駝、兔子、沙番——因為倒嚼卻不分蹄，就與你們不潔淨； ⁸ 豬——因為分蹄卻不倒嚼——就與你們不潔淨。這些獸的肉你們不可吃，死的也不可摸。 ⁹ 水中可吃的乃是這些：凡有翅有鱗的都可以吃； ¹⁰ 凡無翅無鱗的都不可吃，就與你們不潔淨。 ¹¹ 凡潔淨的鳥你們都可以吃。 ¹² 不可吃的乃是鵰、狗頭鵰、紅頭鵰、 ¹³ 鸇、小鷹、鷂鷹與其類的， ¹⁴ 烏鴉與其類的， ¹⁵ 鴞鳥、夜鷹、杜鵑、鷹與其類的， ¹⁶ 小鴞、大鴞、白鵜鶘、 ¹⁷ 鵜鶘、禿鵰、鸕鶿、 ¹⁸ 鸛、鷺鷥與其類的，戴勝與蝙蝠。 ¹⁹ 凡有翅膀爬行的物，是與你們不潔淨，都不可吃。 ²⁰ 凡潔淨的鳥你們都可以吃。 ²¹ 凡自死的，你們不可吃，卻可以給你城裏寄居的吃，或賣與外人；因為你是歸耶和華─你神為聖潔的民。不可用山羊羔母的奶煮山羊羔。
摩西在此告訴以色列人：
一、神已經使他們成為特殊的子民，賜他們三項有別於人的特權，作為他們的尊榮，並作為神在基督裏所賜那屬天之事的屬靈福氣的預表。1. 此處有揀選：耶和華揀選了你（申 14:2）。不是因他們自己的功勞，也不是因為預見他們有甚麼善行，而是因為他要在其中彰顯他權能和恩典的豐盛。他並非因他們以自己的奉獻和順服作了在萬國之上屬他的特殊子民而揀選他們，而是揀選他們使他們可以靠他的恩典成為這樣；信徒也是如此蒙揀選（弗 1:4）。2. 此處有兒子的名分（申 14:1）：你們是耶和華─你們神的兒女——被他塑造成一個百姓，被他認作他的百姓，更是他的家人，與他相近的百姓，比任何別的更近。以色列是我的兒子，我的長子；不是因為他需要兒女，而是因為他們是孤兒，需要一位父親。每一個以色列人實在是神的兒女，得與他的性情和恩惠有分，得與他的愛和祝福有分。你看父賜給我們是何等的慈愛！ 3. 此處有成聖（申 14:2）：你……是聖潔的民——為神分別出來歸他為聖，獻身事奉他，為他的讚美而設立，受聖潔律法治理，蒙聖潔帳幕以及與之相關的聖禮裝飾。神的百姓有最強的理由當成為聖潔；他們若是聖潔的，便當感謝那使他們成聖的神恩。主為自己將他們分別出來，又使他們合格以事奉他並享受他，這樣就使他們成為歸他為聖的了。
二、他們當以謹守的獨特風格，與四圍列國分別出來。神既如此抬舉他們，他們就不可容讓偶像崇拜者的迷信風俗，使自己像他們，與他們同列而自貶身價。七十士譯本讀作：你們要作耶和華─你們神的兒女——作為一條命令，即「你們當行事為人與神的兒女相稱，不可作甚麼以辱沒這關係的尊榮，也不可喪失這關係的特權。」他們特別要在兩件事上與別人分別：
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在他們的舉哀上：你們不可用刀劃身（申 14:1）。這條誡命禁止的（如某些人所想），不但是他們在喪禮上劃身——或是為表達哀痛，或是用自己的血來安撫冥府的神明——更是他們在敬拜他們的神明時自傷自殘，如巴力的先知所作的（王上 18:28）；或為這個那個神明用刀劃肉作記號——這在他們身上，比在任何人身上更是不可推諉的罪，因為他們帶著割禮的記號，身上帶著主耶和華的記號。所以：（1）他們被禁止因任何緣故毀壞或傷害自己的身體。我想這正像父母對那愚昧、不小心、又任性的小孩子——喜歡玩刀的——所說的話：孩子們，你們不可劃傷自己。 那些要求我們捨己的命令，正是這個意思；我們若按正意理解，便會明白這些命令的真意是：不要害了自己。 那些最叫我們為難的護理，也是這個目的——要從我們身上挪去那些我們可能用以害己的東西。刀被取去，免得我們劃傷自己。那歸神為聖潔之民的人，不可作任何毀壞自己外貌的事；身子是為主，也當如此使用。（2）他們被禁止因失去至親至愛之人而以無節制的憂傷攪擾並折磨自己的心：「你們不可在最悲痛的場合，以劃身、在兩眼之間剃光來表達或加重你們的憂傷，如那些發狂的人，或硬著心在死者面前不肯受慰的人，好像那些沒有指望的人一般」（帖前 4:13）。安斯渥在此引述一位猶太作者的話，極其精彩——他把這條理解為一條禁止對親人之死過度憂傷的律法。若你的父親（比方說）死了，你不可劃身——即你不可過分哀傷，因為你不是無父的，你有一位父，他是大而永存、永不改變的，就是那可稱頌的聖者神——你正是他的兒女（申 14:1）。但一個不信的人（他說），他的父親死了，便沒有父能在急難時幫助他；因為他曾對一塊木頭說：你是我的父；又對一塊石頭說：你是生我的（耶 2:27）；所以他哭泣、劃身、使自己禿頭。 我們既有可盼望的神，又有可盼望的天，就當在各樣這類重擔之下以這盼望自勉。
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他們在飲食上也當獨特。當注意：
（1）有許多種肉本來十分健康，也是別國人常吃的，他們卻當敬虔地視為不潔而禁戒。這條律法我們從前已見過（利 11:2），在那裏已詳盡解說。從此處的上下文看來，這條律法顯然是作為特殊性的記號；因為他們遵守它，便要在一切混合的場合中被人注意，看作分別的百姓，並要保守他們不與拜偶像的鄰舍攙雜、不效法他們。〔一〕論到走獸，此處比利未記更詳細地列舉了他們可吃的，為要表明他們沒有理由抱怨被禁止吃豬肉、兔肉和沙番肉（這些是當時所禁的，如今卻普遍食用）——他們既蒙允許享受如此多種，不但有所謂的屠宰肉（申 14:4）——惟獨這一類可獻為祭——更有野味，他們在迦南有極豐富的供應：鹿、羚羊、麃子（申 14:5）——這些雖從未帶到神的壇上，卻可在他們自己的桌上享用。參申 12:22。他們既可從這一切中（如亞當可從園中各樣的樹上）自由取食，那些為滿足反常的食慾，或（看來如此）為尊榮他們的偶像、並有分於他們拜偶像之祭物而吃豬肉，器皿中有可憎之物所作的湯（因這條律法而成了可憎的）（賽 65:4）的人，便不可推諉。〔二〕論到魚類，只給了一條通則：凡無翅無鱗的（如貝類和鰻魚，並水蛭和水中其他不宜作食物的活物）都是不潔而禁吃的（申 14:9–10）。〔三〕論到鳥類，未給通則，卻特別列出對他們不潔的種類；此處所禁的，如今少有或無人食用；凡未明文禁止的，都蒙允許（申 14:11–20）。凡潔淨的鳥你們都可以吃。 〔四〕他們又被進一步禁止：第一，吃任何自死之物的肉，因為血未從中分離，並且除了它所處的禮儀上的不潔（利 11:39）之外，它也不是健康的食物，我們當中除了窮人也不常食用。第二，用山羊羔母的奶煮山羊羔——或是為滿足自己的奢侈，以為這是美味；或是效法異邦的某種迷信風俗。亞蘭文意譯者如此譯：你不可把肉食和奶食一同吃；如此便禁止用奶油作肉的調味醬。
（2）關於這一切飲食的誡命：〔一〕律法本身清楚表明，它們只屬於猶太人，並非道德律，也不是永久有效的，因為它們並非對人人有約束力；因為他們自己不可吃的，卻可給寄居的——就是已棄絕偶像崇拜、所以被允許住在他們中間（雖未受割禮）的門口歸化者；或賣給外邦人——就是為貿易來到他們國中、卻不可定居的外邦人（申 14:21）。他們可以吃以色列人所不可摸的，這明顯表明以色列人的特殊性，並表明他們是聖潔的百姓。〔二〕福音清楚表明，這些如今已經廢止取消了。因為凡神所造的物都是好的，沒有甚麼如今當拒絕的，或稱為不潔淨的（提前 4:4）。
英文原文
What Might Be Eaten, and What Not (1451 BC)
¹ Ye are the children of the LORD your God: ye shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead.
² For thou art a holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth.
³ Thou shalt not eat any abominable thing.
⁴ These are the beasts which ye shall eat: the ox, the sheep, and the goat,
⁵ The hart, and the roebuck, and the fallow deer, and the wild goat, and the pygarg, and the wild ox, and the chamois.
⁶ And every beast that parteth the hoof, and cleaveth the cleft into two claws, and cheweth the cud among the beasts, that ye shall eat.
⁷ Nevertheless these ye shall not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the cloven hoof; as the camel, and the hare, and the coney: for they chew the cud, but divide not the hoof; therefore they are unclean unto you.
⁸ And the swine, because it divideth the hoof, yet cheweth not the cud, it is unclean unto you: ye shall not eat of their flesh, nor touch their dead carcase.
⁹ These ye shall eat of all that are in the waters: all that have fins and scales shall ye eat:
¹⁰ And whatsoever hath not fins and scales ye may not eat; it is unclean unto you.
¹¹ Of all clean birds ye shall eat.
¹² But these are they of which ye shall not eat: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray,
¹³ And the glede, and the kite, and the vulture after his kind,
¹⁴ And every raven after his kind,
¹⁵ And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind,
¹⁶ The little owl, and the great owl, and the swan,
¹⁷ And the pelican, and the gier eagle, and the cormorant,
¹⁸ And the stork, and the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat.
¹⁹ And every creeping thing that flieth is unclean unto you: they shall not be eaten.
²⁰ But of all clean fowls ye may eat.
²¹ Ye shall not eat of any thing that dieth of itself: thou shalt give it unto the stranger that is in thy gates, that he may eat it; or thou mayest sell it unto an alien: for thou art a holy people unto the LORD thy God. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's milk.
Moses here tells the people of Israel,
I. How God had dignified them, as a peculiar people, with three distinguishing privileges, which were their honour, and figures of those spiritual blessings in heavenly things with which God has in Christ blessed us. 1. Here is election: The Lord hath chosen thee, De 14:2. Not for their own merit, nor for any good works foreseen, but because he would magnify the riches of his power and grace among them. He did not choose them because they were by their own dedication and subjection a peculiar people to him above other nations, but he chose them that they might be so by his grace; and thus were believers chosen, Eph 1:4. 2. Here is adoption (De 14:1): "You are the children of the Lord your God, formed by him into a people, owned by him as his people, nay, his family, a people near unto him, nearer than any other." Israel is my son, my first-born; not because he needed children, but because they were orphans, and needed a father. Every Israelite is indeed a child of God, a partaker of his nature and favour, his love and blessing Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us! 3. Here is sanctification (De 14:2): "Thou art a holy people, separated and set apart for God, devoted to his service, designed for his praise, governed by a holy law, graced by a holy tabernacle, and the holy ordinances relating to it." God's people are under the strongest obligations to be holy, and, if they are holy, are indebted to the grace of God that makes them so. The Lord has set them apart for himself, and qualified them for his service and the enjoyment of him, and so has made them holy to himself.
II. How they ought to distinguish themselves by a sober singularity from all the nations that were about them. And, God having thus advanced them, let not them debase themselves by admitting the superstitious customs of idolaters, and, by making themselves like them, put themselves upon the level with them. Be you the children of the Lord your God; so the Seventy read it, as a command, that is, "Carry yourselves as becomes the children of God, and do nothing to disgrace the honour and forfeit the privileges of the relation." In two things particularly they must distinguish themselves:—
1. In their mourning: You shall not cut yourselves, De 14:1. This forbids (as some think), not only their cutting themselves at their funerals, either to express their grief or with their own blood to appease the infernal deities, but their wounding and mangling themselves in the worship of their gods, as Baal's prophets did (1Ki 18:28), or their marking themselves by incisions in their flesh for such and such deities, which in them, above any, would be an inexcusable crime, who in the sign of circumcision bore about with them in their bodies the marks of the Lord Jehovah. So that, (1.) They are forbidden to deform or hurt their own bodies upon any account. Methinks this is like a parent's change to his little children, that are foolish, careless, and wilful, and are apt to play with knives: Children, you shall not cut yourselves. This is the intention of those commands which oblige us to deny ourselves; the true meaning of them, if we understood them aright, would appear to be, Do yourselves no harm. And this also is the design of those providences which most cross us, to remove from us those things by which we are in danger of doing ourselves harm. Knives are taken from us, lest we should cut ourselves. Those that are dedicated to God as a holy people must do nothing to disfigure themselves; the body is for the Lord, and is to be used accordingly. (2.) They are forbidden to disturb and afflict their own minds with inordinate grief for the loss of near and dear relations: "You shall not express or exasperate your sorrow, even upon the most mournful occasions, by cutting yourselves, and making baldness between your eyes, like men enraged, or resolvedly hardened in sorrow for the dead, as those that have no hope," 1Th 4:13. It is an excellent passage which Mr. Ainsworth here quotes from one of the Jewish writers, who understands this as a law against immoderate grief for the death of our relations. If your father (for instance) die, you shall not cut yourselves, that is, you shall not sorrow more than is meet, for you are not fatherless, you have a Father, who is great, living, and permanent, even the holy blessed God, whose children you are, De 14:1. But an infidel (says he), when his father dies, hath no father that can help him in time of need; for he hath said to a stock, Thou art my father, and to a stone, Thou hast brought me forth (Jer 2:27); therefore he weeps, cuts himself, and makes himself bald. We that have a God to hope in, and a heaven to hope for, must bear up ourselves with that hope under every burden of this kind.
2. They must be singular in their meat. Observe,
(1.) Many sorts of flesh which were wholesome enough, and which other people did commonly eat, they must religiously abstain from as unclean. This law we had before Le 11:2, where it was largely opened. It seems plainly, by the connection here, to be intended as a mark of peculiarity; for their observance of it would cause them to be taken notice of in all mixed companies as a separate people, and would preserve them from mingling themselves with, and conforming themselves to, their idolatrous neighbours. [1.] Concerning beasts, here is a more particular enumeration of those which they were allowed to eat then was in Leviticus, to show that they had no reason to complain of their being restrained from eating swines' flesh, and hares, and rabbits (which were all that were then forbidden, but are now commonly used), when they were allowed so great a variety, not only of that which we call butcher's meat (De 14:4), which alone was offered in sacrifice, but of venison, which they had great plenty of in Canaan, the hart, and the roe-buck, and the fallow deer (De 14:5), which, though never brought to God's altar, was allowed them at their own table. See De 12:22. When of all these (as Adam of every tree of the garden) they might freely eat, those were inexcusable who, to gratify a perverse appetite, or (as should seem) in honour of their idols, and in participation of their idolatrous sacrifices, ate swines' flesh, and had broth of abominable things (made so by this law) in their vessels, Isa 65:4. [2.] Concerning fish there is only one general rule given, that whatsoever had not fins and scales (as shell-fish and eels, besides leeches and other animals in the water that are not proper food) was unclean and forbidden, De 14:9,10. [3.] No general rule is given concerning fowl, but those are particularly mentioned that were to be unclean to them, and there are few or none of them which are here forbidden that are now commonly eaten; and whatsoever is not expressly forbidden is allowed, De 14:11-20. Of all clean fowls you may eat. [4.] They are further forbidden, First, To eat the flesh of any creature that died of itself, because the blood was not separated from it, and, besides the ceremonial uncleanness which it lay under (from Le 11:39), it is not wholesome food, nor ordinarily used among us, except by the poor. Secondly, To seethe a kid in its mother's milk, either to gratify their own luxury, supposing it a dainty bit, or in conformity to some superstitious custom of the heathen. The Chaldee paraphrasts read it, Thou shalt not eat flesh—meats and milk—meats together; and so it would forbid the use of butter as sauce to any flesh.
(2.) Now as to all these precepts concerning their food, [1.] It is plain in the law itself that they belonged only to the Jews, and were not moral, nor of perpetual use, because not of universal obligation; for what they might not eat themselves they might give to a stranger, a proselyte of the gate, that had renounced idolatry, and therefore was permitted to live among them, though not circumcised; or they might sell it to an alien, a mere Gentile, that came into their country for trade, but might not settle it, De 14:21. They might feed upon that which an Israelite might not touch, which is a plain instance of their peculiarity, and their being a holy people. [2.] It is plain in the gospel that they are now antiquated and repealed. For every creature of God is good, and nothing now to be refused, or called common and unclean, 1Ti 4:4.
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Tithes for Feasting and Charity (1451 BC)
繁體中文
用於筵宴和賙濟的十分取一之物（主前1451年）
²² 你要把你撒種所產的、就是你田地每年所出的、十分取一分； ²³ 又要在耶和華─你的神面前，就是在他所選擇要立為他名的地方，吃你五穀、新酒、和油的十分之一，並牛群羊群中頭生的；這樣，你可以學習時常敬畏耶和華─你的神。 ²⁴ 耶和華─你的神賜福與你的時候，耶和華─你神所選擇要立為他名的地方，若離你太遠，那路也太長，使你不能把這物帶到那裏去； ²⁵ 你就可以換成銀子，將銀子包起來，拿在手中，往耶和華─你的神所要選擇的地方去。 ²⁶ 你用這銀子，隨心所欲，或買牛羊、或買清酒濃酒、凡你心所想的都可以買；你和你的家屬，在耶和華─你的神面前歡樂。 ²⁷ 住在你城裏的利未人，你不可撇棄他，因為他在你中間沒有分沒有業。 ²⁸ 每逢三年的末一年，你要將本年的十分取一之物都取出來，積存在你的城中。 ²⁹ 在你城中無分無業的利未人、和你城裏寄居的、並孤兒寡婦，都可以來，吃得飽足；這樣，耶和華─你的神必在你手裏所辦的一切事上賜福與你。
我們在此看到關於十分取一之物的律法的一部分。地的出產要納兩次十分之一，所以兩者合起來，他們的出產中有五分之一是歸給神的，只有五分之四作為自己平常的用途；他們不能不承認自己所付的是輕省的租——尤其因為屬神的那一分，也是為他們自己的益處和好處而處置的。第一個十分之一是為供養教訓他們認識神的利未人、並在聖事上事奉他們的——這從前就被認為是當納的，並藉著那條律法作為產業永歸利未人（民 18:24 等）。但此處所說的是第二個十分之一，是在利未人得了他們的分之後，從餘下的部分中取出的。
一、他們在此受命將它分別出來歸給神：你要把你撒種所產的……十分取一分（申 14:22）。利未人自己收取自己的分，但這個的分別是留給物主自己作的——律法以信任他們來激發他們誠實，藉此試驗他們對神的敬畏。他們受命要按真理納十分之一，即務必要作，並且忠心謹慎地作，使屬神的分不致因故意或疏忽而減少。注意，我們務要從我們的財產中將神當得的足額歸給他；因為我們不過是管家，所求於管家的就是要他有忠心——他必須交賬。
二、他們在此受指示，分別之後當如何處置。各人當照神使他興旺、賜他成功而積蓄，又當照神賜他機會而用於敬虔的事上；先積蓄了，再用就容易，比例也更令人滿意。這第二個十分之一可以這樣處置：
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用於敬虔之事——在豁免年之後的頭兩年。他們要把它帶上去——或以實物，或以其全部價值——到聖所的地方，在那裏於耶和華面前花費在聖潔的筵席上。他們若方便，當以實物帶去（申 14:23）；若不方便，可以換成銀子（申 14:24–25），這銀子要用來買在耶和華面前設筵的東西。以節制清醒的方式舒適愉快地享用神所賜的，實在就是用它來榮耀神。知足、聖潔的喜樂和感恩，使每一頓飯都成為宗教的筵席。這律法的目的記在申 14:23：這樣，你可以學習時常敬畏耶和華─你的神——這是要使他們在信仰上保持正直堅定，（1）藉著使他們熟悉聖所、聖物、和在那裏所行的莊嚴事奉。他們在聖經上讀到安排的事，若在會幕中看見遵行，對他們便大有益處；這要在他们心中留下更深的印象，使他們避開拜偶像風俗的網羅。注意，不可停止聚會（來 10:25）對我們在信仰上的恆久大有良好的影響。藉著聖徒相交的安慰，我們可以得以保守在與神的相交之中。（2）藉著使他們習慣於宗教中最愉快、最喜樂的事奉。讓他們在耶和華面前歡樂，使他們可以學習時常敬畏他。我們在信仰的道路上得著越多快樂，便越可能在這些道路上恆久。在他們敬虔的款待中，有一件事他們必須記念——就是歡迎他們的利未人同席。你不可撇棄利未人（申 14:27）：「不可讓他作你席上的陌生人，尤其當你在耶和華面前吃的時候。」
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每第三年，這十分之一要在本地用於慈善的事上（申 14:28–29）：積存在你的城中，歸給窮人——他們既知道這律法為他們所作的預備，無疑會來尋求；為使他們對窮人熟識、不輕看他們的同在，此處指示他們要歡迎窮人到自己家中。「讓他們來，在那裏吃，並得飽足。」在這第二個十分之一的慈善分配中，他們當顧念貧窮的傳道人，藉著款待他們而加添他們的鼓勵；然後是貧窮的寄居者（不但為供給他們的需要，更為尊重他們，藉此吸引他們歸化為改宗者）；然後是孤兒寡婦——他們雖然或許有相當的供養留下，卻不能被以為能如從前那樣豐足舒適地生活，所以當尊重他們，藉著請他們赴這筵席來幫助他們、使他們安舒。神特別看顧寡婦和孤兒，他也要求我們同樣如此。幫助無助的人，是他的榮耀，也將是我們的榮耀。我們若這樣事奉神，又用我們所有的行善，此處應許說：耶和華我們的神必在我們手所辦的一切事上賜福與我們。注意，（1）神的賜福是我們外在興盛的全部；沒有那賜福，我們手所作的工不能成就甚麼。（2）得著那賜福的途徑，就是勤勞和慈善。賜福降在作工的手上：「不要期望神在你閒懶和貪圖安逸之中賜福你，而要在你手所作的一切事上得著他的賜福。」殷勤人的手，加上神的賜福，必致富（箴 10:4、22）。它也降在施捨的手上；這樣分散的，必然加增；好施捨的人必得豐裕。這是無可置疑的真理，雖少有人相信：對窮人慈善，在支持宗教和任何善工上自由慷慨，乃是最穩妥、最安全的興旺之道。借給耶和華的，必連本帶利償還。見結 44:30。
英文原文
Tithes for Feasting and Charity (1451 BC)
²² Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year.
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.
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:
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:
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 LORD thy God, and thou shalt rejoice, thou, and thine household,
²⁷ And the Levite that is within thy gates; thou shalt not forsake him; for he hath no part nor inheritance with thee.
²⁸ 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:
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.
We have here a part of the statute concerning tithes. The productions of the ground were twice tithed, so that, putting both together, a fifth part was devoted to God out of their increase, and only four parts of five were for their own common use; and they could not but own they paid an easy rent, especially since God's part was disposed of to their own benefit and advantage. The first tithe was for the maintenance of their Levites, who taught them the good knowledge of God, and ministered to them in holy things; this is supposed as anciently due, and is entailed upon the Levites as an inheritance, by that law, Nu 18:24, etc. But it is the second tithe that is here spoken of, which was to be taken out of the remainder when the Levites had had theirs.
I. They are here charged to separate it, and set it apart for God: Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of they seed, De 14:22. The Levites took care of their own, but the separating of this was left to the owners themselves, the law encouraging them to be honest by reposing a confidence in them, and so trying their fear of God. They are commanded to tithe truly, that is, to be sure to do it, and to do it faithfully and carefully, that God's part might not be diminished either with design or by oversight. Note, We must be sure to give God his full dues out of our estates; for, being but stewards of them, it is required that we be faithful, as those that must give account.
II. They are here directed how to dispose of it when they had separated it. Let every man lay by as God prospers him and gives him success, and then let him lay out in pious uses as God gives him opportunity; and it will be the easier to lay out, and the proportion will be more satisfying, when first we have laid by. This second tithe may be disposed of,
1. In works of piety, for the first two years after the year of release. They must bring it up, either in kind or in the full value of it, to the place of the sanctuary, and there must spend it in holy feasting before the Lord. If they could do it with any convenience, they must bring it in kind (De 14:23); but, if not, they might turn it into money (De 14:24,25), and that money must be laid out in something to feast upon before the Lord. The comfortable cheerful using of what God has 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. The end of this law we have (De 14:23): That thou mayest learn to fear the Lord thy God always; it was to keep them right and firm to their religion, (1.) By acquainting them with the sanctuary, the holy things, and the solemn services that were there performed. What they read the appointment of their Bibles, it would do them good to see the observance of in the tabernacle; it would make a deeper impression upon them, which would keep them out of the snares of the idolatrous customs. Note, It will have a good influence upon our constancy in religion never to forsake the assembling of ourselves together, Heb 10:25. By the comfort of the communion of saints, we may be kept to our communion with God. (2.) By using them to the most pleasant and delightful services of religion. Let them rejoice before the Lord, that they may learn to fear him always. The more pleasure we find in the ways of religion the more likely we shall be to persevere in those ways. One thing they must remember in their pious entertainments—to bid their Levites welcome to them. Thou shalt not forsake the Levites (De 14:27): "Let him never be a stranger to thy table, especially when thou eatest before the Lord."
2. Every third year this tithe must be disposed of at home in works of charity (De 14:28,29): Lay it up within they own gates, and let it be given to the poor, who, knowing the provision this law had made for them, no doubt would come to seek it; and, that they might make the poor familiar to them and not disdain their company, they are here directed to welcome them to their houses. "Thither let them come, and eat and be satisfied." In this charitable distribution of the second tithe they must have an eye to the poor ministers and add to their encouragement by entertaining them, then to poor strangers (not only for the supply of their necessities, but to put a respect upon them, and so to invite them to turn proselytes), and then to the fatherless and widow, who, though perhaps they might have a competent maintenance left them, yet could not be supposed to live so plentifully and comfortably as they had done in months past, and therefore they were to countenance them, and help to make them easy by inviting them to this entertainment. God has a particular care for widows and fatherless, and he requires that we should have the same. It is his honour, and will be ours, to help the helpless. And if we thus serve God, and do good with what we have, it is promised here that the Lord our God will bless us in all the work of our hand. Note, (1.) The blessing of God is all in all to our outward prosperity, and, without that blessing, the work of our hands which we do will bring nothing to pass. (2.) The way to obtain that blessing is to be diligent and charitable. The blessing descends upon the working hand: "Except not that God should bless thee in thy idleness and love of ease, but in all the work of thy hand." It is the hand of the diligent, with the blessing of God upon it, that makes rich, Pr 10:4,22. And it descends upon the giving hand; he that thus scatters certainly increases, and the liberal soul will be made fat. It is an undoubted truth, though little believed, that to be charitable to the poor, and to be free and generous in the support of religion and any good work, is the surest and safest way of thriving. What is lent to the Lord will be repaid with abundant interest. See Eze 44:30.
摩西在本章教訓他們：一、要以獨特之處與鄰舍分別出來——1. 在哀悼的事上（申十四1–2）。2. 在食物上（申十四3–21）。二、要將自己獻給神，並以此為記，從自己的產業中把當納的獻給他：每年當納的十分之一，以及每第三年一次的十分之一，為維持宗教節期、利未人和窮人（申十四22–29等）。