Avouched Deuteronomy 26

Deuteronomy 26:17 "Thou hast avouched the Lord this day to be thy God, and to walk in his ways and to keep his statutes and his commandments and his judgments and to hearken unto his voice."

v18 And the Lord hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people, as he hath promised thee and that thou shouldest keep all his commandments."

avouch means to declare positively. Webster.


Israel is to offer the first fruits of the land to the Lord, then as the basket of the offering is placed they are to recite certain words concerning their history and declarations of obedience.

An agreement is made and refreshed in this chapter between Israel and the Lord. It has been brought up before but now just as they are about to cross over Jordan it is reaffirmed and the word avouch is used for the first time (that I remember).

The story of how Israel got to this point is reviewed:

v5 "And thou shalt speak and say before the LORD thy God. A Syrian ready to perish was my father, and he went down into Egypt and sojourned there with a few and became there a nation, great, mighty and populous:"

The Lord has asked only for obedience and for Israel to recognize Him as their only God. In return, he takes them as his peculiar people and makes a promise to care for them.

v19 "And to make thee high above all nations which he hath made in praise and in name and in honour and that thou mayest be an holy people unto the LORD thy God as he hath spoken."

We know from history that Israel rebelled again and the prophets came warning of a dark future but also of a restoration of the glory under a new king, the Messiah.

Psalms 36:11 "O continue thy lovingkindness unto them that know thee, and thy righteousness to the upright in heart. v11 Let not the foot of pride come against me and let not the hand of the wicked remove me."