Deuteronomy 14:25

25 Thou shalt sell them all, and turn them into money, and shalt carry it in thy hand, and shalt go to the place which the Lord shall choose:

Deuteronomy 14:25 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 14:25

Thou shalt then turn it into money
The tithe, which would be lighter and easier carriage:

and bind up the money in thine hand;
put it into a bag or purse, and tie it up and carry it in the hand; which some think was ordered, that it might not be mixed with other money; but it seems only to have respect to journeying, and making it fit for that. The Jewish writers {u}, some of them, give a different sense of the word we render "bind up", and interpret it of marking the silver, or impressing a form, figure, or image on it with the hand; they mean that it must be coined money; so Maimonides F23, they may not profane the sacred tithe with money not coined, nor with money not current, nor with money which is not in a man's power; for it is said,

in thine hand;
which the man is possessed of and is his own property:

and shalt go unto the place which the Lord that God shall choose;
carrying the money along with him, for which he sold the tithe.


FOOTNOTES:

F21 Bartenora in Misn. Beracot, c. 7. sect. 1. Maimon. & Bartenora in Misn. Maaser Sheni, c. 11. sect. 2. & in Misn. Sabbat, c. 18. sect. 1.
F23 In Misn. Maaser Sheni, c. 11. sect. 2.

Deuteronomy 14:25 In-Context

23 And thou shalt eat before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall choose, that his name may be called upon therein, the tithe of thy corn, and thy wine, and thy oil, and the firstborn of thy herds and thy sheep: that thou mayst learn to fear the Lord thy God at all times.
24 But when the way and the place which the Lord thy God shall choose, are far off, and he hath blessed thee, and thou canst not carry all these things thither,
25 Thou shalt sell them all, and turn them into money, and shalt carry it in thy hand, and shalt go to the place which the Lord shall choose:
26 And thou shalt buy with the same money whatsoever pleaseth thee, either of the herds or of sheep, wine also and strong drink, and all that thy soul desireth: and thou shalt eat before the Lord thy God, and shalt feast, thou and thy house:
27 And the Levite that is within thy gates, beware thou forsake him not, because he hath no other part in thy possession.
The Douay-Rheims Bible is in the public domain.