Deuteronomy 26:5
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New International Version (©1984)
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 American Standard Bible (©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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
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.

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:

American King James Version
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:

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.

Bible in Basic English
And these are the words which you will say before the Lord your God: My father was a wandering Aramaean, and he went down with a small number of people into Egypt; there he became a great and strong nation:

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.

Darby Bible Translation
And thou shalt speak and say before Jehovah thy God, A perishing Aramean was my father, and he went down to Egypt with a few, and sojourned there, and became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous.

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:

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, "A Syrian ready to perish was my father; and he went down into Egypt, and lived there, few in number; and he became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous.

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;

Geneva Study Bible

And thou shalt speak and say before the LORD thy God, A {c} 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, {d} and populous:

(c) Meaning, Jacob, who served 20 years in Syria.

(d) Only by God's mercy, and not by their father's deserving.

Wesley's Notes

26:5 A Syrian - So Jacob was, partly by his original, as being born of Syrian parents, as were Abraham and Rebecca, both of Chaldea or Mesopotamia, which was a part of Syria largely so called, partly by his education and conversation; and partly by his relations, his wives being such, and his children too by their mother's. Ready to perish - Either through want and poverty; (See Gen 28:11,20 32:10,) or through the rage of his brother Esau, and the treachery of his father - in - law Laban.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

5. thou shalt say . A Syrian ready to perish was my father-rather, "a wandering Syrian." The ancestors of the Hebrews were nomad shepherds, either Syrians by birth as Abraham, or by long residence as Jacob. When they were established as a nation in the possession of the promised land, they were indebted to God's unmerited goodness for their distinguished privileges, and in token of gratitude they brought this basket of first-fruits.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

26:1-11 When God has made good his promises to us, he expects we should own it to the honour of his faithfulness. And our creature comforts are doubly sweet, when we see them flowing from the fountain of the promise. The person who offered his first-fruits, must remember and own the mean origin of that nation, of which he was a member. A Syrian ready to perish was my father. Jacob is here called a Syrian. Their nation in its infancy sojourned in Egypt as strangers, they served there as slaves. They were a poor, despised, oppressed people in Egypt; and though become rich and great, had no reason to be proud, secure, or forgetful of God. He must thankfully acknowledge God's great goodness to Israel. The comfort we have in our own enjoyments, should lead us to be thankful for our share in public peace and plenty; and with present mercies we should bless the Lord for the former mercies we remember, and the further mercies we expect and hope for. He must offer his basket of first-fruits. Whatever good thing God gives us, it is his will that we make the most comfortable use we can of it, tracing the streams to the Fountain of all consolation.


Genesis 43:1 Now the famine was severe in the land.
Genesis 46:27 and the sons of Joseph, who were born to him in Egypt were two; all the persons of the house of Jacob, who came to Egypt, were seventy.
Deuteronomy 1:10 'The LORD your God has multiplied you, and behold, you are this day like the stars of heaven in number.
Deuteronomy 10:22 "Your fathers went down to Egypt seventy persons in all, and now the LORD your God has made you as numerous as the stars of heaven. (NASB ©1995)

Aramean Egypt Mighty Nation Perish Populous Ready Response Sojourned Speak Syrian Wandering


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:

A Syrian Jacob being called a Syrian from his long residence in Padan-aram Ge 24:4 25:20 28:5 31:20,24 Ho 12:12

ready Ge 27:41 31:40 43:1,2,12 45:7,11 Isa 51:1,2

he went down Ge 46:1-7 Ps 105:23,24 Ac 7:15

a few De 7:7 Ge 46:27 Ex 1:5

became De 10:22 Ge 47:27 Ex 1:7,12

Bible Gateway: Deuteronomy Chapter 26 Verse 5 NIV ESV NKJV NLT KJV Message Amplified

Alphabetical: a and answer Aramean became before but declare down Egypt father few God great he in into lived LORD mighty My nation number numerous people populous powerful say shall sojourned the Then there to wandering was went with you your

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