Category
115 Bible Verses about Giving First Fruit Offerings
Think about first fruits – that special offering we give to God. It's a way of saying "thank you" and showing our love for Him. In the Bible, it's often talked about with the first harvest or the firstborn livestock. But it's so much deeper than that, isn't it?
Giving our first fruits is really about acknowledging that everything we have comes from God. It's about honoring Him by giving Him the first and the best – not the leftovers. It's an act of trust, like saying, "God, I know you'll provide. I know you're the owner of everything, and I depend on you."
It's a good reminder to put God first in everything – not just our money, but our time, our talents, how we use what we have, even the decisions we make every single day. When we put God first, we're saying, "I trust you, God. I want your guidance in everything I do."
It's like James 1:181 says, "He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of all he created." That's pretty powerful, to think of ourselves as God's first fruits.
"Speakto the sonsof Israeland sayto them, 'Whenyou enterthe landwhichI am going to giveto you and reapits harvest,then you shall bringin the sheafof the firstfruitsof your harvestto the priest.He shall wavethe sheafbeforethe LORDfor you to be accepted;on the dayafterthe sabbaththe priestshall waveit.
"Then it shall be, whenyou enterthe landwhichthe LORDyour Godgivesyou as an inheritance,and you possessit and livein it,that you shall takesomeof the firstof allthe produceof the groundwhichyou bringin from your landthat the LORDyour Godgivesyou, and you shall put[it] in a basketand goto the placewherethe LORDyour Godchoosesto establishHis name.
and that they might bringthe firstfruitsof our groundand the firstfruitsof allthe fruitof everytreeto the houseof the LORDannually,and bringto the houseof our Godthe firstbornof our sonsand of our cattle,and the firstbornof our herdsand our flocksas it is writtenin the law,for the priestswho are ministeringin the houseof our God.We will also bringthe firstof our dough,our contributions,the fruitof everytree,the newwineand the oilto the priestsat the chambersof the houseof our God,and the titheof our groundto the Levites,for the Levitesare they who receivethe tithesin allthe ruraltowns.
Whenyou enterthe landand plantallkinds of treesfor food,then you shall counttheir fruitas forbidden.Threeyearsit shall be forbiddento you; [it] shall not be eaten.But in the fourthyearallits fruitshall be holy,an offering of praiseto the LORD.In the fifthyearyou are to eatof its fruit,that its yieldmay increasefor you; I am the LORDyour God.
"Thereyou shall bringyour burntofferings,your sacrifices,your tithes,the contributionof your hand,your votiveofferings,your freewillofferings,and the firstbornof your herdand of your flock."Therealso you and your householdsshall eatbeforethe LORDyour God,and rejoicein allyour undertakingsin whichthe LORDyour Godhas blessedyou.
"You shall surelytitheallthe producefrom whatyou sow,which comesout of the fieldeveryyear."You shall eatin the presenceof the LORDyour God,at the placewhereHe choosesto establishHis name,the titheof your grain,your newwine,your oil,and the firstbornof your herdand your flock,sothat you may learnto fearthe LORDyour Godalways.
So it cameabout in the courseof timethat Cainbroughtan offeringto the LORDof the fruitof the ground.Abel,on his partalsobroughtof the firstlingsof his flockand of their fatportions.And the LORDhadregardfor Abeland for his offering;but for Cainand for his offeringHe hadnoregard.So Cainbecameveryangryand his countenancefell.
"You shall saybeforethe LORDyour God,'I have removedthe sacred[portion] from [my] house,and alsohave givenit to the Leviteand the alien,the orphanand the widow,according to allYour commandmentswhichYou have commandedme; I have not transgressedor forgottenanyof Your commandments.I have not eatenof it while mourning,norhave I removedanyof it while I was unclean,norofferedanyof it to the dead.I have listenedto the voiceof the LORDmy God;I have doneaccording to allthat You have commandedme.Lookdownfrom Your holyhabitation,from heaven,and blessYour peopleIsrael,and the groundwhichYou have givenus, a landflowingwith milkand honey,as You sworeto our fathers.'
Also he commandedthe peoplewho livedin Jerusalemto givethe portiondue to the priestsand the Levites,that they might devotethemselves to the lawof the LORD.As soon as the orderspread,the sonsof Israelprovidedin abundancethe firstfruitsof grain,newwine,oil,honeyand of allthe produceof the field;and they broughtin abundantlythe titheof all.
"Then it shall be, whenyou enterthe landwhichthe LORDyour Godgivesyou as an inheritance,and you possessit and livein it,that you shall takesomeof the firstof allthe produceof the groundwhichyou bringin from your landthat the LORDyour Godgivesyou, and you shall put[it] in a basketand goto the placewherethe LORDyour Godchoosesto establishHis name."You shall goto the priestwhois in office at that timeand sayto him, 'I declarethis dayto the LORDmy Godthat I have enteredthe landwhichthe LORDsworeto our fathersto giveus.'"Then the priestshall takethe basketfrom your handand setit downbeforethe altarof the LORDyour God."You shall answerand saybeforethe LORDyour God,My fatherwas a wanderingAramean,and he wentdownto Egyptand sojournedthere,fewin number;but therehe becamea great,mightyand populousnation.And the Egyptianstreatedus harshlyand afflictedus, and imposedhardlaboron us.Then we criedto the LORD,the Godof our fathers,and the LORDheardour voiceand sawour afflictionand our toiland our oppression;and the LORDbroughtus out of Egyptwith a mightyhandand an outstretchedarmand with greatterrorand with signsand wonders;and He has broughtus to thisplaceand has givenus thisland,a landflowingwith milkand honey.Nowbehold,I have broughtthe firstof the produceof the groundwhichYou, O LORDhave givenme.' And you shall setit downbeforethe LORDyour God,and worshipbeforethe LORDyour God;and you and the Leviteand the alienwhois amongyou shall rejoicein allthe goodwhichthe LORDyour Godhas givenyou and your household.
And He lookedup and sawthe richputtingtheir giftsinto the treasury.And He sawa poorwidowputtingin twosmall copper coins.And He said,"TrulyI sayto you, thispoorwidowputin morethan all[of them];for they allout of their surplusputinto the offering;but she out of her povertyputin allthat she hadto liveon."
is the LORD'S,and allit contains,The world,and those who dwellin it. 2For He has foundedit upon the seasAnd establishedit upon the rivers. 3Whomay ascendinto the hillof the LORD?And whomay standin His holyplace? 4He who has cleanhandsand a pureheart,Whohas not liftedup his soulto falsehoodAnd has not sworndeceitfully. 5He shall receivea blessingfrom the LORDAnd righteousnessfrom the Godof his salvation. 6Thisis the generationof those who seekHim, Who seekYour face--[even] Jacob.Selah. 7Liftup your heads,O gates,And be liftedup, O ancientdoors,That the Kingof glorymay comein! 8Whois the Kingof glory?The LORDstrongand mighty,The LORDmightyin battle. 9Liftup your heads,O gates,And lift[them] up, O ancientdoors,That the Kingof glorymay comein! 10Whois thisKingof glory?The LORDof hosts,He is the Kingof glory.Selah.
"'A sonhonors[his] father,and a servanthis master.Then ifI am a father,whereis My honor?And ifI am a master,whereis My respect?'saysthe LORDof hoststo you, O priestswho despiseMy name.But you say,'Howhave we despisedYour name?'"[You] are presentingdefiledfoodupon My altar.But you say,'Howhave we defiledYou?' In that you say,The tableof the LORDis to be despised.'"But whenyou presentthe blindfor sacrifice,is it not evil?And whenyou presentthe lameand sick,is it not evil?Why not offerit to your governor?Would he be pleasedwith you? Orwould he receiveyou kindly?"saysthe LORDof hosts.
Allthe officersand allthe peoplerejoicedand broughtin their levies and dropped[them] into the chestuntilthey had finished.It cameabout wheneverthe chestwas broughtin to the king'sofficerby the Levites,and when they sawthat there was muchmoney,then the king'sscribeand the chiefpriest'sofficerwould come,emptythe chest,takeit, and returnit to its place.Thusthey diddailyand collectedmuchmoney.
"Whatare your multipliedsacrificesto Me?" Saysthe LORD."I have hadenoughof burntofferingsof ramsAnd the fatof fedcattle;And I takenopleasurein the bloodof bulls,lambsor goats."Whenyou cometo appearbeforeMe, Whorequiresof you thistramplingof My courts?"Bringyour worthlessofferingsnolonger,Incenseis an abominationto Me. Newmoonand sabbath,the callingof assemblies--I cannotendureiniquityand the solemnassembly."I hateyour newmoon[festivals] and your appointedfeasts,They have becomea burdento Me; I am wearyof bearing[them]."So when you spreadout your hands[in prayer], I will hideMy eyesfrom you; Yes,eventhoughyou multiplyprayers,I will not listen.Your handsare coveredwith blood."Washyourselves, makeyourselves clean;Removethe evilof your deedsfrom My sight.Ceaseto do evil,Learnto dogood;Seekjustice,Reprovethe ruthless,Defendthe orphan,Pleadfor the widow.
"Sowhenyou giveto the poor, do not sound a trumpetbeforeyou, as the hypocritesdoin the synagoguesand in the streets,sothat they may be honoredby men.TrulyI sayto you, they havetheir rewardin full."But when you giveto the poor, do not let your left handknowwhatyour right handis doing,sothat your givingwill be in secret;and your Fatherwho sees[what is done] in secretwill rewardyou.
Now whenanyonepresentsa grain offeringas an offeringto the LORD,his offeringshall be of fineflour,and he shall pouroilon it and putfrankincenseon it.He shall then bringit to Aaron'ssonsthe priests;and shall takefrom it his handfulof its fineflourand of its oilwith allof its frankincense.And the priestshall offer[it] up in smoke[as] its memorialportionon the altar,an offeringby fireof a soothingaromato the LORD.The remainderof the grain offeringbelongs to Aaronand his sons:a thingmostholy,of the offeringsto the LORDby fire.