Deuteronomy 26:5
New International Version
Then you shall declare before the LORD your God: “My father was a wandering Aramean, and he went down into Egypt with a few people and lived there and became a great nation, powerful and numerous.

New Living Translation
“You must then say in the presence of the LORD your God, ‘My ancestor Jacob was a wandering Aramean who went to live as a foreigner in Egypt. His family arrived few in number, but in Egypt they became a large and mighty nation.

English Standard Version
“And you shall make response before the LORD your God, ‘A wandering Aramean was my father. And he went down into Egypt and sojourned there, few in number, and there he became a nation, great, mighty, and populous.

Berean Standard Bible
and you are to declare before the LORD your God, “My father was a wandering Aramean, and he went down to Egypt few in number and lived there and became a great nation, mighty and numerous.

King James Bible
And thou shalt speak and say before the LORD thy God, A Syrian ready to perish was my father, and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there with a few, and became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous:

New King James Version
And you shall answer and say before the LORD your God: ‘My father was a Syrian, about to perish, and he went down to Egypt and dwelt there, few in number; and there he became a nation, great, mighty, and populous.

New American Standard Bible
And you shall respond and say before the LORD your God, ‘My father was a wandering Aramean, and he went down to Egypt and resided there, few in number; but there he became a great, mighty, and populous nation.

NASB 1995
“You shall answer and say before the LORD your God, ‘My father was a wandering Aramean, and he went down to Egypt and sojourned there, few in number; but there he became a great, mighty and populous nation.

NASB 1977
“And you shall answer and say before the LORD your God, ‘My father was a wandering Aramean, and he went down to Egypt and sojourned there, few in number; but there he became a great, mighty and populous nation.

Legacy Standard Bible
And you shall answer and say before Yahweh your God, ‘My father was a wandering Aramean, and he went down to Egypt and sojourned there, few in number; but there he became a great, mighty, and populous nation.

Amplified Bible
And you shall say before the LORD your God, ‘My father [Jacob] was a wandering Aramean, and he [along with his family] went down to Egypt and lived there [as strangers], few in number; but while there he became a great, mighty and populous nation.

Christian Standard Bible
You are to respond by saying in the presence of the LORD your God: My father was a wandering Aramean. He went down to Egypt with a few people and resided there as an alien. There he became a great, powerful, and populous nation.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
You are to respond by saying in the presence of the LORD your God: My father was a wandering Aramean. He went down to Egypt with a few people and lived there. There he became a great, powerful, and populous nation.

American Standard Version
And thou shalt answer and say before Jehovah thy God, A Syrian ready to perish was my father; and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there, few in number; and he became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous.

Contemporary English Version
Then, standing there in front of the place of worship, you must pray: My ancestor was homeless, an Aramean who went to live in Egypt. There were only a few in his family then, but they became great and powerful, a nation of many people.

English Revised Version
And thou shalt answer and say before the LORD thy God, A Syrian ready to perish was my father, and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there, few in number; and he became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
You will make this formal statement in the presence of the LORD your God: "My ancestors were wandering Arameans. There were only a few of them when they went to Egypt and lived as foreigners. But then they became a great, powerful, and large nation.

Good News Translation
Then, in the LORD's presence you will recite these words: 'My ancestor was a wandering Aramean, who took his family to Egypt to live. They were few in number when they went there, but they became a large and powerful nation.

International Standard Version
Then you are to affirm and declare in the presence of the LORD your God: 'A wandering Aramean was my ancestor, who went down to Egypt and traveled there with very few family members, yet there he became a great, powerful, and populous nation.

Majority Standard Bible
and you are to declare before the LORD your God, ?My father was a wandering Aramean, and he went down to Egypt few in number and lived there and became a great nation, mighty and numerous.

NET Bible
Then you must affirm before the LORD your God, "A wandering Aramean was my ancestor, and he went down to Egypt and lived there as a foreigner with a household few in number, but there he became a great, powerful, and numerous people.

New Heart English Bible
You shall answer and say before the LORD your God, "A wandering Aramean was my father, and he went down into Egypt, and lived there, few in number, and there he became a nation, great, mighty, and numerous.

Webster's Bible Translation
And thou shalt speak and say before the LORD thy God, A Syrian ready to perish was my father, and he went down to Egypt, and sojourned there with a few, and became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous:

World English Bible
You shall answer and say before Yahweh your God, “My father was a Syrian ready to perish. He went down into Egypt, and lived there, few in number. There he became a great, mighty, and populous nation.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And you have answered and said before your God YHWH, My father [is] a perishing Aramean! And he goes down to Egypt, and sojourns there with few men, and becomes a great, mighty, and populous nation there;

Young's Literal Translation
And thou hast answered and said before Jehovah thy God, A perishing Aramaean is my father! and he goeth down to Egypt, and sojourneth there with few men, and becometh there a nation, great, mighty, and numerous;

Smith's Literal Translation
And thou didst answer and say before Jehovah thy God, An unfortunate Syrian my father; and he went down into Egypt, and he will sojourn there with a few men, and will be there into a great nation, mighty and many.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And thou shalt speak thus in the sight of the Lord thy God: The Syrian pursued my father, who went down into Egypt, and sojourned there in a very small number, and grew into a nation great and strong and of an infinite multitude.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And you shall say, in the sight of the Lord your God: ‘The Syrian pursued my father, who descended into Egypt, and he sojourned there in a very small number, and he increased into a great and strong nation and into an innumerable multitude.

New American Bible
Then you shall declare in the presence of the LORD, your God, “My father was a refugee Aramean who went down to Egypt with a small household and lived there as a resident alien. But there he became a nation great, strong and numerous.

New Revised Standard Version
you shall make this response before the LORD your God: “A wandering Aramean was my ancestor; he went down into Egypt and lived there as an alien, few in number, and there he became a great nation, mighty and populous.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And you shall speak and say before the LORD your God, My father was led to Aram and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there for a short time, and there he became a nation, great, mighty, and populous;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And answer and say before LORD JEHOVAH your God: 'My father was led to Aram and he came down to Egypt and dwelt there a little time and he was there with a great people and was strengthened:
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And thou shalt speak and say before the LORD thy God: 'A wandering Aramean was my father, and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there, few in number; and he became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
and he shall answer and say before the Lord thy God, My father abandoned Syria, and went down into Egypt, and sojourned there with a small number, and became there a mighty nation and a great multitude.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Offering Firstfruits and Tithes
4Then the priest shall take the basket from your hands and place it before the altar of the LORD your God, 5and you are to declare before the LORD your God, “My father was a wandering Aramean, and he went down to Egypt few in number and lived there and became a great nation, mighty and numerous. 6But the Egyptians mistreated us and afflicted us, putting us to hard labor.…

Cross References
Genesis 46:1-4
So Israel set out with all that he had, and when he came to Beersheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. / And that night God spoke to Israel in a vision: “Jacob, Jacob!” He said. “Here I am,” replied Jacob. / “I am God,” He said, “the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. ...

Genesis 47:4
Then they said to Pharaoh, “We have come to live in the land for a time, because there is no pasture for the flocks of your servants, since the famine in the land of Canaan has been severe. So now, please allow your servants to settle in the land of Goshen.”

Genesis 47:27
Now the Israelites settled in the land of Egypt, in the region of Goshen. They acquired property there and became fruitful and increased greatly in number.

Exodus 1:1-5
These are the names of the sons of Israel who went to Egypt with Jacob, each with his family: / Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah; / Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin; ...

Exodus 1:7
but the Israelites were fruitful and increased rapidly; they multiplied and became exceedingly numerous, so that the land was filled with them.

Exodus 12:40-41
Now the duration of the Israelites’ stay in Egypt was 430 years. / At the end of the 430 years, to the very day, all the LORD’s divisions went out of the land of Egypt.

Joshua 24:4
and to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. I gave Esau Mount Seir to possess, but Jacob and his sons went down to Egypt.

Psalm 105:23
Then Israel entered Egypt; Jacob dwelt in the land of Ham.

Isaiah 51:2
Look to Abraham your father, and to Sarah who gave you birth. When I called him, he was but one; then I blessed him and multiplied him.

Ezekiel 16:3
and tell her that this is what the Lord GOD says to Jerusalem: Your origin and your birth were in the land of the Canaanites. Your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite.

Acts 7:14-15
Then Joseph sent for his father Jacob and all his relatives, seventy-five in all. / So Jacob went down to Egypt, where he and our fathers died.

Acts 7:17-19
As the time drew near for God to fulfill His promise to Abraham, our people in Egypt increased greatly in number. / Then another king, who knew nothing of Joseph, arose over Egypt. / He exploited our people and oppressed our fathers, forcing them to abandon their infants so they would die.

Acts 7:45-46
And our fathers who received it brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations God drove out before them. It remained until the time of David, / who found favor in the sight of God and asked to provide a dwelling place for the God of Jacob.

Romans 9:7-13
Nor because they are Abraham’s descendants are they all his children. On the contrary, “Through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.” / So it is not the children of the flesh who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as offspring. / For this is what the promise stated: “At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son.” ...

Romans 11:1
I ask then, did God reject His people? Certainly not! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin.


Treasury of Scripture

And you shall speak and say before the LORD your God, A Syrian ready to perish was my father, and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there with a few, and became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous:

Genesis 24:4
But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac.

Genesis 25:20
And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padanaram, the sister to Laban the Syrian.

Genesis 28:5
And Isaac sent away Jacob: and he went to Padanaram unto Laban, son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob's and Esau's mother.

ready

Genesis 27:41
And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob.

Genesis 31:40
Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes.

Genesis 43:1,2,12
And the famine was sore in the land…

he went down

Genesis 46:1-7
And Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac…

Psalm 105:23,24
Israel also came into Egypt; and Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham…

Acts 7:15
So Jacob went down into Egypt, and died, he, and our fathers,

a few

Deuteronomy 7:7
The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:

Genesis 46:27
And the sons of Joseph, which were born him in Egypt, were two souls: all the souls of the house of Jacob, which came into Egypt, were threescore and ten.

Exodus 1:5
And all the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls: for Joseph was in Egypt already.

became

Deuteronomy 10:22
Thy fathers went down into Egypt with threescore and ten persons; and now the LORD thy God hath made thee as the stars of heaven for multitude.

Genesis 47:27
And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen; and they had possessions therein, and grew, and multiplied exceedingly.

Exodus 1:7,12
And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them…

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Aramean Egypt Mighty Nation Perish Populous Ready Response Sojourned Speak Syrian Wandering
Deuteronomy 26
1. The confession of him who offers the basket of firstfruits
12. The prayer of him who gives his third year's tithes
16. The covenant between God and his people














and you are to declare before the LORD your God
This phrase emphasizes the act of confession and acknowledgment before God, a practice deeply rooted in the covenant relationship between God and Israel. It reflects the importance of verbalizing faith and history as a form of worship and remembrance. The act of declaring before God is a reminder of His sovereignty and the Israelites' dependence on Him. This practice is seen throughout the Old Testament, where verbal declarations are used in worship, such as in Psalms and the recitation of the Shema in Deuteronomy 6:4-9.

“My father was a wandering Aramean
This refers to Jacob, also known as Israel, who is considered the patriarch of the Israelites. The term "wandering Aramean" highlights Jacob's nomadic lifestyle and his connection to the region of Aram, which is modern-day Syria. This phrase underscores the humble beginnings of the Israelite nation, emphasizing their dependence on God's guidance and provision. The wandering nature of Jacob's life is a type of the spiritual journey of faith, reflecting the Christian pilgrimage towards the heavenly promise.

and he went down to Egypt few in number
This part of the declaration recalls the migration of Jacob and his family to Egypt during a time of famine, as recorded in Genesis 46. The phrase "few in number" highlights the small size of Jacob's family at the time, which consisted of 70 people. This migration was part of God's providential plan to preserve and grow the nation of Israel. The journey to Egypt is a significant event in biblical history, setting the stage for the eventual Exodus and the fulfillment of God's promises to Abraham.

and lived there and became a great nation
In Egypt, the Israelites multiplied and grew into a large and powerful nation, as described in Exodus 1:7. This growth was a fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars (Genesis 15:5). The transformation from a small family to a great nation in a foreign land demonstrates God's faithfulness and the unfolding of His redemptive plan. This growth also foreshadows the expansion of the Church, as seen in the New Testament, where the Gospel spreads from a small group of disciples to a global community.

mighty and numerous
The description of the Israelites as "mighty and numerous" reflects their strength and significant population by the time of the Exodus. This transformation is a testament to God's blessing and protection over His people, despite their oppression in Egypt. The might and numbers of Israel serve as a precursor to their eventual conquest of Canaan, fulfilling God's promise to give them a land of their own. This phrase also points to the spiritual strength and growth of believers, as seen in the New Testament Church, empowered by the Holy Spirit to spread the Gospel to all nations.

Persons / Places / Events
1. My Father (Jacob/Israel)
The reference to "my father" is traditionally understood to be Jacob, also known as Israel, who was the patriarch of the Israelites. He is described as a "wandering Aramean" due to his time spent in Paddan Aram, where he lived with his uncle Laban.

2. Aramean
This term refers to the region of Aram, which is modern-day Syria. Jacob's connection to this area is through his mother Rebekah and his wives Leah and Rachel, who were from this region.

3. Egypt
The land where Jacob and his family went during a famine. It is significant as the place where the Israelites grew into a great nation.

4. Foreigner
This term highlights the status of Jacob and his family in Egypt, emphasizing their dependence on God's provision and protection.

5. Great Nation
Refers to the fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that their descendants would become a numerous and mighty people.
Teaching Points
Identity and Heritage
Understanding our spiritual heritage is crucial. Just as the Israelites were to remember their origins, Christians are called to remember their identity in Christ and the spiritual lineage of faith.

God's Faithfulness
The transformation from a small family to a great nation in Egypt is a testament to God's faithfulness in fulfilling His promises. Believers can trust in God's promises for their lives.

Dependence on God
The status of being a "foreigner" reminds us of our dependence on God in a world where we are spiritual sojourners. We are called to rely on Him for provision and guidance.

Gratitude and Worship
The declaration before God was an act of worship and gratitude. Christians are encouraged to regularly express gratitude for God's work in their lives and His faithfulness through generations.Verse 5. - A Syrian ready to perish was my father. The reference is to Jacob, the stem-father of the twelve tribes, he is here called a Syrian, or Aramaean, because of his long residence in Mesopotamia (Genesis 29-31.), whence Abraham had originally come (Genesis 11:31), and because there the family of which he was the head was founded. The translation "ready to perish" fairly represents the Hebrew; the verb אָבַד means not merely to stray or wander, but also to lose one's self, to perish, to be in danger of perishing (cf. Deuteronomy 4:26; Job 29:13; Proverbs 31:6, etc.). Different renderings of this clause have been given. The Targum, Vulgate, Luther, etc., have, "The Aramaean (i.e. Laban) oppressed my father;" The LXX., Συρίαν ἀπέλιπεν ὁ πατήρ μου ("My father left Syria"); others, "To the Aramaean my father wandered." But these either follow another reading than that of the received text, or they are expedients to soften down the apparent ignominy of the description. The probable allusion to the wandering, nomadic life of the patriarch, however, is not to be lost sight cf. With a few; literally, in men of few; i.e. consisting of few men, as a small company; the father and head of the tribe is named for those belonging to him (cf. Genesis 34:30; Genesis 46:27). A great nation, etc. (cf. Exodus 1:7, 9).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
and you are to declare
וְעָנִ֨יתָ (wə·‘ā·nî·ṯā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 6030: To answer, respond

before
לִפְנֵ֣י ׀ (lip̄·nê)
Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct
Strong's 6440: The face

the LORD
יְהוָ֣ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

your God,
אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ (’ĕ·lō·he·ḵā)
Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

“My father
אָבִ֔י (’ā·ḇî)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 1: Father

was a wandering
אֹבֵ֣ד (’ō·ḇêḏ)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 6: To wander away, lose oneself, to perish

Aramean,
אֲרַמִּי֙ (’ă·ram·mî)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 761: Aramean -- an inhabitant of Aram (Syria)

and he went down
וַיֵּ֣רֶד (way·yê·reḏ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3381: To come or go down, descend

to Egypt
מִצְרַ֔יְמָה (miṣ·ray·māh)
Noun - proper - feminine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 4714: Egypt -- a son of Ham, also his descendants and their country in Northwest Africa

few in number
מְעָ֑ט (mə·‘āṭ)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 4592: A little, fewness, a few

and lived
וַיָּ֥גָר (way·yā·ḡār)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1481: To turn aside from the road, sojourn, to shrink, fear, to gather for, hostility

there
שָׁ֖ם (šām)
Adverb
Strong's 8033: There, then, thither

and became
וַֽיְהִי־ (way·hî-)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

a great
גָּד֖וֹל (gā·ḏō·wl)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 1419: Great, older, insolent

nation,
לְג֥וֹי (lə·ḡō·w)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1471: A foreign nation, a Gentile, a troop of animals, a flight of locusts

mighty
עָצ֥וּם (‘ā·ṣūm)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 6099: Powerful, numerous

and numerous.
וָרָֽב׃ (wā·rāḇ)
Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 7227: Much, many, great


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OT Law: Deuteronomy 26:5 You shall answer and say before Yahweh (Deut. De Du)
Deuteronomy 26:4
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