First Fruits

$6.00

Description

At the end of the summer, firstfruits were brought to the Temple. Here we see a procession of people carrying their gifts. The band of pilgrims followed an ox that would eventually be offered as a peace offering. On reaching the Temple, each person with his basket on his shoulder, would recite from Deut. 26.3, “I profess this day unto the LORD thy God, that I am come unto the country which the LORD sware unto our fathers for to give us … a Syrian ready to perish was my father … and conclude with verse 10: “And now, behold, I have brought the firstfruits of the land, which thou, O LORD, hast given me. And thou shalt set it before the LORD thy God, and worship before the LORD thy God.” The priest then put his hand under the basket and waved it before God and placed it next to the Altar.