Deuteronomy 26:14

26:14 I have not eaten anything when I was in mourning, or removed any of it while ceremonially unclean, or offered any of it to the dead; ¹  I have obeyed you ²  and have done everything you have commanded me.

Deuteronomy 33:21

33:21 He has selected the best part for himself,

for the portion of the ruler ³  is set aside ⁴  there;

he came with the leaders ⁵  of the people,

he obeyed the righteous laws of the Lord

and his ordinances with Israel.

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¹ sn These practices suggest overtones of pagan ritual, all of which the confessor denies having undertaken. In Canaan they were connected with fertility practices associated with harvest time. See E. H. Merrill, Deuteronomy (NAC), 335-36.

² tn Heb “the Lord my God.” See note on “he” in 26:2.

³ tn The Hebrew term מְחֹקֵק (mÿkhoqeq; Poel participle of חָקַק, khaqaq, “to inscribe”) reflects the idea that the recorder of allotments (the “ruler”) is able to set aside for himself the largest and best. See E. H. Merrill, Deuteronomy (NAC), 444-45.

⁴ tn Heb “covered in” (if from the root סָפַן, safan; cf. HALOT 764-65 s.v. ספן qal).

⁵ tn Heb “heads” (in the sense of chieftains).