Reflecting on Deut 26:1-11
Haiku of first fruits
The ancient story
of foundation: Israel
is given a land.
Show your gratitude
take all of the first fruits, make
an offering to God.
Take it to the priest,
say, I have come to this land,
as God swore to us.
Our fathers wandered,
finding themselves in Egypt;
there they became slaves.
Harshly treated, we
cried out to the Lord, the God
of our ancestors.
The Lord heard our voice,
saw our affliction, our toil,
and our oppression.
The Lord brought us out
of Egypt with a strong hand
and an outstretched arm.
God gave us this land,
flowing with milk and honey.
These gifts show our thanks.
© Ken Rookes 2025
In no way would I suggest that this ancient story has relevance to the situation od Israel and Palestine today
