Exodus 22:29
New International Version
“Do not hold back offerings from your granaries or your vats. “You must give me the firstborn of your sons.

New Living Translation
“You must not hold anything back when you give me offerings from your crops and your wine. “You must give me your firstborn sons.

English Standard Version
“You shall not delay to offer from the fullness of your harvest and from the outflow of your presses. The firstborn of your sons you shall give to me.

Berean Standard Bible
You must not hold back offerings from your granaries or vats. You are to give Me the firstborn of your sons.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
“You shall not delay to offer the first of your ripe produce and your juices. The firstborn of your sons you shall give to Me.

New American Standard Bible
“You shall not hold back the offering from your entire harvest and your wine. The firstborn of your sons you shall give to Me.

NASB 1995
“You shall not delay the offering from your harvest and your vintage. The firstborn of your sons you shall give to Me.

NASB 1977
“You shall not delay the offering from your harvest and your vintage. The first-born of your sons you shall give to Me.

Legacy Standard Bible
“You shall not delay the offering from the fullness of your harvest and the juice of your wine vat. The firstborn of your sons you shall give to Me.

Amplified Bible
“You shall not delay the offering from your harvest and your vintage. You shall give (consecrate, dedicate) to Me the firstborn of your sons.

Christian Standard Bible
“You must not hold back offerings from your harvest or your vats. Give me the firstborn of your sons.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
You must not hold back offerings from your harvest or your vats. Give Me the firstborn of your sons.

American Standard Version
Thou shalt not delay to offer of thy harvest, and of the outflow of thy presses. The first-born of thy sons shalt thou give unto me.

Contemporary English Version
Don't fail to give me the offerings of grain and wine that belong to me. Dedicate to me your first-born sons

English Revised Version
Thou shalt not delay to offer of the abundance of thy fruits, and of thy liquors. The firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto me.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"Never withhold your best wine from me. "You must give me your firstborn son.

Good News Translation
"Give me the offerings from your grain, your wine, and your olive oil when they are due. "Give me your first-born sons.

International Standard Version
"You are not to hold back the fullness of your harvest and the outflow of your wine presses. You are to give to me the firstborn of your sons.

Majority Standard Bible
You must not hold back offerings from your granaries or vats. You are to give Me the firstborn of your sons.

NET Bible
"Do not hold back offerings from your granaries or your vats. You must give me the firstborn of your sons.

New Heart English Bible
"You shall not delay to offer from your harvest and from the outflow of your presses. "You shall give the firstborn of your sons to me.

Webster's Bible Translation
Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits, and of thy liquors: the first-born of thy sons shalt thou give to me.

World English Bible
“You shall not delay to offer from your harvest and from the outflow of your presses. “You shall give the firstborn of your sons to me.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
You do not delay your fullness and your liquids; you give the firstborn of your sons to Me;

Young's Literal Translation
'Thy fulness and thy liquids thou dost not delay; the first-born of thy sons thou dost give to Me;

Smith's Literal Translation
Thy fulness and thy tears thou shalt not delay: the first-born of thy sons thou shalt give to me.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Thou shalt not delay to pay thy tithes and thy firstfruits: thou shalt give the firstborn of thy sons to me.

Catholic Public Domain Version
You shall not delay in paying your tithes and your first-fruits. You shall give the firstborn of your sons to me.

New American Bible
You shall not delay the offering of your harvest and your press. You shall give me the firstborn of your sons.

New Revised Standard Version
You shall not delay to make offerings from the fullness of your harvest and from the outflow of your presses. The firstborn of your sons you shall give to me.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
You shall not delay to offer the first fruits of the harvest of your threshing floor, and of your wine press; the first-born of your sons you shall give to me.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
You shall not delay the beginning of the harvests of your threshing floor or the first of your wine press; the firstborn of your sons you shall give to me.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Thou shalt not delay to offer of the fulness of thy harvest, and of the outflow of thy presses. The first-born of thy sons shalt thou give unto Me.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Thou shalt not keep back the first-fruits of thy threshing floor and press. The first-born of thy sons thou shalt give to me.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Laws of Social Responsibility
28You must not blaspheme God or curse the ruler of your people. 29You must not hold back offerings from your granaries or vats. You are to give Me the firstborn of your sons. 30You shall do likewise with your cattle and your sheep. Let them stay with their mothers for seven days, but on the eighth day you are to give them to Me.…

Cross References
Leviticus 23:10-11
“Speak to the Israelites and say, ‘When you enter the land that I am giving you and you reap its harvest, you are to bring to the priest a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest. / And he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD so that it may be accepted on your behalf; the priest is to wave it on the day after the Sabbath.

Numbers 18:12-13
I give you all the freshest olive oil and all the finest new wine and grain that the Israelites give to the LORD as their firstfruits. / The firstfruits of everything in their land that they bring to the LORD will belong to you. Every ceremonially clean person in your household may eat them.

Deuteronomy 26:2-4
you are to take some of the firstfruits of all your produce from the soil of the land that the LORD your God is giving you and put them in a basket. Then go to the place the LORD your God will choose as a dwelling for His Name, / to the priest who is serving at that time, and say to him, “I declare today to the LORD your God that I have entered the land that the LORD swore to our fathers to give us.” / Then the priest shall take the basket from your hands and place it before the altar of the LORD your God,

Proverbs 3:9-10
Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your crops; / then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine.

Nehemiah 10:35-37
We will also bring the firstfruits of our land and of every fruit tree to the house of the LORD year by year. / And we will bring the firstborn of our sons and our livestock, as it is written in the Law, and will bring the firstborn of our herds and flocks to the house of our God, to the priests who minister in the house of our God. / Moreover, we will bring to the priests at the storerooms of the house of our God the firstfruits of our dough, of our grain offerings, of the fruit of all our trees, and of our new wine and oil. A tenth of our produce belongs to the Levites, so that they shall receive tithes in all the towns where we labor.

Malachi 3:10
Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house. Test Me in this,” says the LORD of Hosts. “See if I will not open the windows of heaven and pour out for you blessing without measure.

Genesis 4:3-4
So in the course of time, Cain brought some of the fruit of the soil as an offering to the LORD, / while Abel brought the best portions of the firstborn of his flock. And the LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering,

2 Chronicles 31:5
As soon as the order went out, the Israelites generously provided the firstfruits of the grain, new wine, oil, and honey, and of all the produce of the field, and they brought in an abundance—a tithe of everything.

Deuteronomy 18:4
You are to give them the firstfruits of your grain, new wine, and oil, and the first wool sheared from your flock.

Leviticus 19:23-25
When you enter the land and plant any kind of tree for food, you shall regard the fruit as forbidden. For three years it will be forbidden to you and must not be eaten. / In the fourth year all its fruit must be consecrated as a praise offering to the LORD. / But in the fifth year you may eat its fruit; thus your harvest will be increased. I am the LORD your God.

Romans 11:16
If the first part of the dough is holy, so is the whole batch; if the root is holy, so are the branches.

1 Corinthians 15:20
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

James 1:18
He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we would be a kind of firstfruits of His creation.

Hebrews 13:15
Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise, the fruit of lips that confess His name.

Matthew 6:33
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.


Treasury of Scripture

You shall not delay to offer the first of your ripe fruits, and of your liquors: the firstborn of your sons shall you give to me.

shalt not delay

Exodus 23:16,19
And the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours, which thou hast sown in the field: and the feast of ingathering, which is in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field…

Deuteronomy 26:2-10
That thou shalt take of the first of all the fruit of the earth, which thou shalt bring of thy land that the LORD thy God giveth thee, and shalt put it in a basket, and shalt go unto the place which the LORD thy God shall choose to place his name there…

2 Kings 4:42
And there came a man from Baalshalisha, and brought the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley, and full ears of corn in the husk thereof. And he said, Give unto the people, that they may eat.

the first of they ripe fruits.

Exodus 13:2,12
Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine…

Exodus 34:19
All that openeth the matrix is mine; and every firstling among thy cattle, whether ox or sheep, that is male.

Jump to Previous
Delay First Firstborn First-Born Fruits Fulness Grain Granaries Harvest Hold Offer Offering Offerings Presses Ripe Threshing-Floor Vats Vines Vintage Wealth Winepress
Jump to Next
Delay First Firstborn First-Born Fruits Fulness Grain Granaries Harvest Hold Offer Offering Offerings Presses Ripe Threshing-Floor Vats Vines Vintage Wealth Winepress
Exodus 22
1. Of Theft
5. Of damage
7. Of trespasses
14. Of borrowing
16. Of fornication
18. Of witchcraft
19. Of bestiality
20. Of idolatry
21. Of strangers, widows, and fatherless
25. Of usury
26. Of pledges
28. Of reverence to magistrates
29. Of the first fruits
31. Of torn flesh














You must not hold back
The phrase "You must not hold back" is a direct command emphasizing the importance of prompt and willing obedience to God's instructions. The Hebrew root here is "אַחֵר" (achar), which conveys the idea of delaying or postponing. In the context of ancient Israel, this command underscores the immediacy and priority of dedicating resources to God. It reflects a heart posture of trust and reliance on God's provision, acknowledging that all blessings ultimately come from Him.

offerings from your granaries or vats
The "offerings from your granaries or vats" refer to the firstfruits of the harvest and the produce of the winepress. In Hebrew, "מְלֵאָה" (mele'ah) for granaries and "יָקֶב" (yakev) for vats, these terms highlight the agricultural context of ancient Israelite society. Offering the first and best of their produce was a tangible expression of gratitude and recognition of God's sovereignty over the land and its yield. It was a way to honor God with the fruits of one's labor, acknowledging His role as the ultimate provider.

You are to give Me
The phrase "You are to give Me" is a divine directive that establishes God's rightful claim over the firstborn. The Hebrew verb "נָתַן" (natan) means to give or present, indicating an act of worship and dedication. This command reflects the covenant relationship between God and His people, where offerings are not merely transactions but acts of devotion and acknowledgment of God's lordship.

the firstborn of your sons
"The firstborn of your sons" holds significant theological and cultural weight. In Hebrew, "בְּכוֹר" (bekhor) refers to the firstborn, who held a special status in the family as the primary heir. This command is rooted in the historical context of the Exodus, where God spared the firstborn of Israel during the final plague in Egypt (Exodus 12:12-13). By dedicating the firstborn to God, the Israelites were reminded of their deliverance and God's saving grace. It also prefigures the ultimate sacrifice of God's own firstborn, Jesus Christ, for the redemption of humanity. This act of giving the firstborn symbolizes total surrender and trust in God's promises and provision.

(29) The first of thy ripe fruits.--Heb., of thy fulness. "Firstfruits" were the spontaneous tribute of natural piety among almost all nations. They were called by the Greeks ???????, by the Romans primitive. Abel's offering (Genesis 4:4) was one of the "firstlings of his flock," and Cain's probably one of firstfruits. In the present passage it is assumed that firstfruits are due, and the stress is laid upon offering them promptly, without "delay." Delay would show a grudging spirit.

Of thy liquors.--As wine and oil. (Compare Nehemiah 10:37; Nehemiah 10:39.)

The firstborn of thy sons.--See the Note on Exodus 13:2; and on the means of redeeming firstborn sons, see Exodus 13:13, and Num. 17:15, 16. . . .

Verses 29, 30. - Law concerning first-fruits. God required as first-fruits from his people,

1. The first-born of their children;

2. The firstborn of all their cattle; and

3. The first of all the produce of their lands, . . .

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
You must not
לֹ֣א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

hold back
תְאַחֵ֑ר (ṯə·’a·ḥêr)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 309: To loiter, to procrastinate

[offerings] from your granaries
מְלֵאָתְךָ֥ (mə·lê·’ā·ṯə·ḵā)
Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 4395: Something fulfilled, abundance

or vats.
וְדִמְעֲךָ֖ (wə·ḏim·‘ă·ḵā)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 1831: A tear, juice

You are to give
תִּתֶּן־ (tit·ten-)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

Me
לִּֽי׃ (lî)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's Hebrew

the firstborn
בְּכ֥וֹר (bə·ḵō·wr)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1060: Firstborn, chief

of your sons.
בָּנֶ֖יךָ (bā·ne·ḵā)
Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 1121: A son


Links
Exodus 22:29 NIV
Exodus 22:29 NLT
Exodus 22:29 ESV
Exodus 22:29 NASB
Exodus 22:29 KJV

Exodus 22:29 BibleApps.com
Exodus 22:29 Biblia Paralela
Exodus 22:29 Chinese Bible
Exodus 22:29 French Bible
Exodus 22:29 Catholic Bible

OT Law: Exodus 22:29 You shall not delay to offer (Exo. Ex)
Exodus 22:28
Top of Page
Top of Page