The Meaning of Deuteronomy 26:18 Explained

Deuteronomy 26:18

KJV: And the LORD hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people, as he hath promised thee, and that thou shouldest keep all his commandments;

YLT: 'And Jehovah hath caused thee to promise to-day to become His people, a peculiar treasure, as He hath spoken to thee, and to keep all His commands;

Darby: and Jehovah hath accepted thee this day to be a people of possession to him, as he hath told thee, and that thou shouldest keep all his commandments,

ASV: and Jehovah hath avouched thee this day to be a people for his own possession, as he hath promised thee, and that thou shouldest keep all his commandments;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the LORD  hath avouched  thee this day  to be his peculiar  people,  as he hath promised  thee, and that [thou] shouldest keep  all his commandments; 

What does Deuteronomy 26:18 Mean?

Context Summary

Deuteronomy 26:1-19 - First-Fruits And Tithes
The Israelites were God's tenants-at-will. The entire land and its produce were His; and they were required to acknowledge His ownership by the payment of first-fruits-both at Passover and at Pentecost, Leviticus 2:14; Numbers 28:26 -and of tithes.
All we possess and all we earn are equally the gift of God. Let us acknowledge this by setting apart a fixed proportion of the results of our daily work, whether wages, or crops, or brood, or herd. The words of this ancient collect, with very slight modifications, will suit us well, Deuteronomy 26:5-10. Note the injunction of Deuteronomy 26:11. There is not enough joy in our lives or faces. Nothing so quickly commends our religion as the gladness which the world can neither give nor take. To joy let us add intercession, Deuteronomy 26:15; and let us never forget to renew our vows of consecration when we bring our gifts, Deuteronomy 26:16. [source]

Chapter Summary: 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

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 26:18 mean?

Also Yahweh has proclaimed you today to be His people a treasured possession just as He promised you that [you] should keep all His commandments
וַֽיהוָ֞ה הֶאֱמִֽירְךָ֣ הַיּ֗וֹם לִהְי֥וֹת לוֹ֙ לְעַ֣ם סְגֻלָּ֔ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר דִּבֶּר־ לָ֑ךְ וְלִשְׁמֹ֖ר כָּל־ מִצְוֺתָֽיו

וַֽיהוָ֞ה  Also  Yahweh 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
הֶאֱמִֽירְךָ֣  has  proclaimed  you 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person masculine singular, second person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
הַיּ֗וֹם  today 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
לִהְי֥וֹת  to  be 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
לוֹ֙  His 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
לְעַ֣ם  people 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
סְגֻלָּ֔ה  a  treasured  possession 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: סְגֻלָּה  
Sense: possession, property.
כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר  just  as 
Parse: Preposition-k, Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
דִּבֶּר־  He  promised 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
וְלִשְׁמֹ֖ר  that  [you]  should  keep 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: שָׁמַר  
Sense: to keep, guard, observe, give heed.
מִצְוֺתָֽיו  His  commandments 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מִצְוָה  
Sense: commandment.