Deuteronomy 14:28
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This verse reveals a special provision for the poor and needy within their own communities. Instead of bringing this particular tithe to the central sanctuary, it was to be stored locally, ensuring that the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow within their own towns could also be sustained. This highlights how God's care extended beyond the formal religious rituals to encompass the practical welfare of everyone in society.
“At the end of every three years you shall bring out all the tithe of your produce in the same year and lay it up within your towns.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage shifts from specifying food laws and what not to eat, to explaining a different way to handle the tithe in the third year. Instead of bringing this specific tithe to the central sanctuary to be eaten there, it's to be stored locally within their towns. This change in destination and application is part of a broader system designed to support the Levites and care for the poor, strangers, widows, and fatherless within their own communities.
Did you know that God designed a special system for generosity to the poor, built into Israel's yearly giving? It wasn't just about the sanctuary; it was about caring for the vulnerable right in their own towns.
In Israelite law, tithing had multiple layers. While the first tithe generally supported the Levites and was used for joyful feasts before the Lord (Deuteronomy 14:22-23), this verse introduces a crucial variation.
The Poor's Tithe
Every third year, the tithe took on a different destination. Instead of being carried to the central sanctuary for festivals, all of that year's tithe was to be "laid up within your towns." This wasn't an extra tax; it was a redirection of the tithe for local relief.
This "poor's tithe" (as some Jewish tradition calls it) ensured that the stranger, the fatherless, the widow, and the Levite living within their communities received direct support. It was a practical, built-in mechanism for social welfare, demonstrating God's heart for those on the margins.
We often think of giving as supporting a church or a religious organization. But God's plan for Israel included a powerful emphasis on caring for people right where they lived.
The tithe wasn't solely for the priests and Levites at the Tabernacle or Temple. Deuteronomy 14:28 reveals a compassionate redistribution system.
Practical Compassion
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In the third year, the tithe was explicitly designated to remain 'within your gates.' This meant the produce was stored locally to feed the poor, widows, and orphans who were part of their everyday lives. It was a tangible expression of their faith lived out in their neighborhoods.
This law teaches us that true worship isn't confined to religious services; it must extend to practical acts of love and justice within our own communities. God cares deeply about the welfare of the vulnerable, and He calls us to be His hands and feet in meeting those needs.
Understand the original words
ma'aser · Hebrew Noun
A religious or civil tax, usually amounting to one-tenth of one's produce or income, given to support the priesthood and the ministry of the temple, and to provide for the poor. It acknowledges that all resources ultimately belong to God.
This passage directly parallels Deuteronomy 14:28 by stating that in the third year, the tithe is to be set aside within the towns for the Levite, the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, emphasizing the charitable purpose.
Malachi 3:10This prophetic passage echoes the principle of tithing, urging God's people to bring their tithes into the storehouse, with the promise of abundant blessing, highlighting the ongoing spiritual importance of giving.
Luke 11:42Jesus critiques the Pharisees for meticulously tithing even herbs but neglecting justice and the love of God, showing that the *spirit* behind giving (compassion, righteousness) is as crucial as the act itself.
2 Corinthians 9:7This New Testament passage speaks to cheerful giving, stating that God loves a cheerful giver, which resonates with the purpose of the third-year tithe being used for the needy within the community, fostering generosity.
Matthew 23:23Jesus condemns the religious leaders for tithing mint, dill, and cumin while ignoring the weightier matters of the law like justice, mercy, and faithfulness, underscoring that true devotion involves both outward practice and inward heart.
pooleDeuteronomy 14:28: "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:"
At the end of three years, i.e. in the third year, as it is expressed, Deu 26:12 . So, in the end of three years, or of seven years , is the same with in the third or seventh year, as appears by comparing Deu 31:10 Joshua 9:16,17 2 Kings 18:9,10 17:6 . All the tithe of thine increase. I join with those expositors who make this the same tithe…
ellicottDeuteronomy 14:28: "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:"
(28) At the end of three years thou shalt bring forth ail the tithe. —This is called by the Jews Ma’aser ‘Âni, “ the poor’s tithe.” They regard it as identical with the second tithe, which was ordinarily eaten by the owners at Jerusalem; but in every third and sixth year was bestowed upon the poor.
This verse reveals a special provision for the poor and needy within their own communities. Instead of bringing this particular tithe to the central sanctuary, it was to be stored locally, ensuring that the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow within their own towns could also be sustained. This highlights how God's care extended beyond the formal religious rituals to encompass the practical welfare of everyone in society.
This passage shifts from specifying food laws and what not to eat, to explaining a different way to handle the tithe in the third year. Instead of bringing this specific tithe to the central sanctuary to be eaten there, it's to be stored locally within their towns. This change in destination and application is part of a broader system designed to support the Levites and care for the poor, strangers, widows, and fatherless within their own communities.
This passage shifts from specifying food laws and what not to eat, to explaining a different way to handle the tithe in the third year. Instead of bringing this specific tithe to the central sanctuary to be eaten there, it's to be stored locally within their towns. This change in destination and application is part of a broader system designed to support the Levites and care for the poor, strangers, widows, and fatherless within their own communities.
"“At the end of every three years you shall bring out all the tithe of your produce in the same year and lay it up within your towns." — This verse reveals a special provision for the poor and needy within their own communities. Instead of bringing this particular tithe to the central sanctuary, it was to be stored locally, ensuring t…
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Last reviewed October 2026
