Exodus 22:29

Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits, and of thy liquors: the firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto me.

Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits, and of thy liquors. х mªlee'aatªkaa (H4395) wªdim`ªkaa (H1831) lo' (H3808) tª'acheer (H309)] - literally, Thou shalt not defer thy fulness and thy tear, or collective, tears. The first word, 'fulness,' is conjoined sometimes with grain (Deuteronomy 22:9), and at other times with the vintage (Numbers 18:27). In this passage, where it stands by itself it must be restricted to dry fruits, including every kind, as it is distinguished from what is liquid. The second word, 'tears,' is used metaphorically for the juice of grapes and of olives - i:e., wine and oil. The 'fulness' of both is spoken of, because the law required an offering only of such things as the Israelites possessed in abundance. [The Septuagint renders the clause: aparchas haloonos kai leenou sou ou kathustereeseis-Thou shalt not postpone (be behind-hand in offering) the first-fruits of thy grain-field (Homer's 'Iliad,' line 499; Theocritus, 1:, 46; grain-floor or granary, Matthew 3:12), and thy wine-press; offer them at the appointed times; otherwise the tribute may be neglected altogether].

Davidson ('Introduction') lays stress on the word 'delay,' as a proof that this command could not have been given, as it was totally inapplicable in the Sinaitic desert, and, consequently, that the Pentateuch was not written until after the settlement in Canaan. But the precept seems, from the tenor of the language employed, to have been only the legislative enactment of an old patriarchal usage with which the Israelites were familiar (see further the notes at Exodus 23:19; Numbers 15:19; Numbers 18:11; Deuteronomy 26:2).

The offering of the first-born both of animals and of men was already practiced among them (Exodus 13:2), and there is good reason to believe that the presentation of first-fruits was also well known to them as a thank-offering to the Lord of the harvest, from earlier times, as may be presumed from its general prevalence among the pagan (Spencer, 'De Legg. Heb,' 5: 3:, 9; Winer, 'Realw"rterbuch,' art. Erstlinge; Saalsch˜tz, 'Mosaische Recht,' p. 343).

The first-born of thy sons shalt thou give unto me (see the note at Exodus 13:2). Since the consecration to God of the first of every species of produce was a virtual sanctifying of the whole (Romans 11:16), so Yahweh's adoption of the first-born in every family was a pledge to all the people of their national union with him.