The Chosen Place of Worship

12 “Be careful to follow these statutes and ordinances in the land that the Lord, the God of your ancestors,(A) has given you to possess all the days you live on the earth. Destroy completely all the places where the nations that you are driving out worship their gods(B)—on the high mountains, on the hills, and under every green tree.(C) Tear down their altars, smash their sacred pillars, burn their Asherah poles, cut down the carved images of their gods, and wipe out their names from every[a] place.(D) Don’t worship the Lord your God this way. Instead, turn to the place the Lord your God chooses(E) from all your tribes to put his name for his dwelling and go there. You are to bring there your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tenths and personal contributions,[b] your vow offerings and freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks. You will eat there in the presence of the Lord your God and rejoice with your household in everything you do,[c] because the Lord your God has blessed you.

“You are not to do as we are doing here today; everyone is doing whatever seems right in his own sight.(F) Indeed, you have not yet come into the resting place(G) and the inheritance(H) the Lord your God is giving you. 10 When you cross the Jordan and live in the land the Lord your God is giving you to inherit,(I) and he gives you rest from all the enemies around you and you live in security, 11 then the Lord your God will choose the place to have his name dwell.(J) Bring there everything I command you: your burnt offerings, sacrifices, offerings of the tenth, personal contributions,[d] and all your choice offerings you vow to the Lord. 12 You will rejoice(K) before the Lord your God—you, your sons and daughters, your male and female slaves, and the Levite who is within your city gates, since he has no portion or inheritance among you.(L) 13 Be careful not to offer your burnt offerings in all the sacred places you see. 14 You must offer your burnt offerings only in the place the Lord chooses in one of your tribes, and there you must do everything I command you.

Slaughtering Animals to Eat

15 “But whenever you want, you may slaughter and eat meat within any of your city gates,(M) according to the blessing the Lord your God has given you. Those who are clean or unclean may eat it, as they would a gazelle or deer, 16 but you must not eat the blood; pour it on the ground like water.(N) 17 Within your city gates you may not eat the tenth of your grain, new wine, or fresh oil; the firstborn of your herd or flock; any of your vow offerings that you pledge; your freewill offerings; or your personal contributions.[e] 18 You are to eat them in the presence of the Lord your God at the place the Lord your God chooses—you, your son and daughter, your male and female slave, and the Levite who is within your city gates. Rejoice before the Lord your God in everything you do, 19 and be careful not to neglect the Levite, as long as you live in your land.

20 “When the Lord your God enlarges your territory as he has promised you,(O) and you say, ‘I want to eat meat’ because you have a strong desire to eat meat, you may eat it whenever you want. 21 If the place where the Lord your God chooses to put his name is too far from you, you may slaughter any of your herd or flock he has given you, as I have commanded you, and you may eat it within your city gates whenever you want. 22 Indeed, you may eat it as the gazelle and deer are eaten; both the clean and the unclean may eat it. 23 But don’t eat the blood, since the blood is the life, and you must not eat the life with the meat.(P) 24 Do not eat blood; pour it on the ground like water.(Q) 25 Do not eat it, so that you and your children after you will prosper, because you will be doing what is right in the Lord’s sight.

26 “But you are to take the holy offerings you have and your vow offerings and go to the place the Lord chooses. 27 Present the meat and blood of your burnt offerings on the altar of the Lord your God. The blood of your other sacrifices is to be poured out beside the altar of the Lord your God, but you may eat the meat. 28 Be careful to obey all these things I command you, so that you and your children after you may prosper forever, because you will be doing what is good and right in the sight of the Lord your God.

29 “When the Lord your God annihilates the nations before you,(R) which you are entering to take possession of,(S) and you drive them out and live in their land, 30 be careful not to be ensnared by their ways(T) after they have been destroyed before you. Do not inquire about their gods, asking, ‘How did these nations worship their gods? I’ll also do the same.’ 31 You must not do the same to the Lord your God, because they practice every detestable act, which the Lord hates, for their gods. They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods. 32 Be careful to do everything I command you; do not add anything to it or take anything away from it.(U)

Footnotes

  1. 12:3 Lit that
  2. 12:6 Lit and the contributions from your hands
  3. 12:7 Lit you put your hand to, also in v. 18
  4. 12:11 Lit tenth, the contributions from your hands
  5. 12:17 Lit or the contributions from your hands

Laws of the Sanctuary

12 “These are the statutes and the judgments which you shall carefully observe in the land which the Lord, the God of your fathers, has given you to possess [a](A)as long as you live on the [b]earth. You shall utterly destroy all the places where the nations whom you shall dispossess serve their gods, on the (B)high mountains and on the hills and under every green tree. (C)You shall tear down their altars and smash their sacred pillars and burn their [c]Asherim with fire, and you shall cut down the engraved images of their gods and (D)obliterate their name from that place. You shall not act like this toward the Lord your God. (E)But you shall seek the Lord at the place which the Lord your God will choose from all your tribes, to establish His name there for His dwelling, and there you shall come. There you shall bring your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, (F)your tithes, the [d]contribution of your hand, your votive offerings, your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herd and of your flock. There also you and your households shall eat before the Lord your God, and (G)rejoice in all [e]your undertakings in which the Lord your God has blessed you.

“You shall not do at all what we are doing here today, every man doing whatever is right in his own eyes; for you have not as yet come to (H)the resting place and the (I)inheritance which the Lord your God is giving you. 10 When you cross the Jordan and live in the land which the Lord your God is giving you to inherit, and (J)He gives you rest from all your enemies around you so that you live in security, 11 (K)then it shall come about that the place in which the Lord your God will choose for His name to dwell, there you shall bring all that I command you: your burnt offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes and the [f]contribution of your hand, and all your choice votive offerings which you will vow to the Lord. 12 And you shall (L)rejoice before the Lord your God, you and your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the (M)Levite who is within your gates, since (N)he has no portion or inheritance with you.

13 (O)Be careful that you do not offer your burnt offerings in every cultic place you see, 14 but in the place which the Lord chooses in one of your tribes, there you shall offer your burnt offerings, and there you shall do all that I command you.

15 (P)However, you may slaughter and eat meat within any of your gates, [g]whatever you desire, according to the blessing of the Lord your God which He has given you; the unclean and the clean may eat of it, as of (Q)the gazelle and the deer. 16 (R)Only you shall not eat the blood; (S)you are to pour it out on the ground like water. 17 (T)You are not allowed to eat within your gates the tithe of your grain or new wine or oil, or the firstborn of your herd or flock, or any of your votive offerings which you vow, or your freewill offerings, or the [h]contribution of your hand. 18 But (U)you shall eat them before the Lord your God in (V)the place which the Lord your God will choose, you and your son and daughter, and your male and female servants, and the (W)Levite who is within your gates; and you shall (X)rejoice before the Lord your God in all [i]your undertakings. 19 (Y)Be careful that you do not forsake the Levite [j]as long as you live in your land.

20 “When the Lord your God extends your border (Z)as He has promised you, and you say, ‘I will eat meat,’ because [k]you desire to eat meat, then you may eat meat, [l]whatever you desire. 21 If the place which the Lord your God chooses to put His name is too far from you, then you may slaughter of your herd and flock which the Lord has given you, as I have commanded you; and you may eat within your gates [m]whatever you desire. 22 Just as a gazelle or a deer is eaten, so you will eat it; the unclean and the clean alike may eat of it. 23 Only be sure (AA)not to eat the blood, for the blood is the [n]life, and you shall not eat the [o]life with the flesh. 24 You shall not eat it; you shall pour it out on the ground like water. 25 You shall not eat it, so that (AB)it may be well with you and your sons after you, for (AC)you will be doing what is right in the sight of the Lord. 26 (AD)Only your holy things which you may have and your votive offerings, you shall take and go to the place which the Lord chooses. 27 And (AE)you shall offer your burnt offerings, the flesh and the blood, on the altar of the Lord your God; and the blood of your sacrifices shall be poured out on the altar of the Lord your God, and (AF)you shall eat the flesh.

28 “Be careful to listen to all these words which I command you, so that (AG)it may be well with you and your sons after you forever, for you will be doing what is good and right in the sight of the Lord your God.

29 “When (AH)the Lord your God cuts off before you the nations which you are going in to dispossess, and you dispossess them and dwell in their land, 30 beware that you are not ensnared [p]to follow them, after they are destroyed before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, ‘How do these nations serve their gods, that I also may do likewise?’ 31 (AI)You shall not behave thus toward the Lord your God, for every abominable act which the Lord hates they have done for their gods; for (AJ)they even burn their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods.

32 [q](AK)Whatever I command you, you shall be careful to do; (AL)you shall not add to nor take away from it.

Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 12:1 Lit all the days
  2. Deuteronomy 12:1 Lit ground
  3. Deuteronomy 12:3 I.e. wooden symbols of a female deity
  4. Deuteronomy 12:6 Or heave offering
  5. Deuteronomy 12:7 Lit the putting forth of your hand
  6. Deuteronomy 12:11 Or heave offering
  7. Deuteronomy 12:15 Lit in every desire of your soul
  8. Deuteronomy 12:17 Lit heave offering
  9. Deuteronomy 12:18 Lit the putting forth of your hand
  10. Deuteronomy 12:19 Lit all your days upon your land
  11. Deuteronomy 12:20 Lit your soul desires
  12. Deuteronomy 12:20 Lit in every desire of your soul
  13. Deuteronomy 12:21 Lit in every desire of your soul
  14. Deuteronomy 12:23 Lit soul
  15. Deuteronomy 12:23 Lit soul
  16. Deuteronomy 12:30 Lit after them
  17. Deuteronomy 12:32 Lit Everything that

12 ESTOS son los estatutos y derechos que cuidaréis de poner por obra, en la tierra que Jehová el Dios de tus padres te ha dado para que la poseas, todos los días que vosotros viviereis sobre la tierra.

Destruiréis enteramente todos los lugares donde las gentes que vosotros heredareis sirvieron á sus dioses, sobre los montes altos, y sobre los collados, y debajo de todo árbol espeso:

Y derribaréis sus altares, y quebraréis sus imágenes, y sus bosques consumiréis con fuego: y destruiréis las esculturas de sus dioses, y extirparéis el nombre de ellas de aquel lugar.

No haréis así á Jehová vuestro Dios.

Mas el lugar que Jehová vuestro Dios escogiere de todas vuestras tribus, para poner allí su nombre para su habitación, ése buscaréis, y allá iréis:

Y allí llevaréis vuestros holocaustos, y vuestros sacrificios, y vuestros diezmos, y la ofrenda elevada de vuestras manos, y vuestros votos, y vuestras ofrendas voluntarias, y los primerizos de vuestras vacas y de vuestras ovejas:

Y comeréis allí delante de Jehová vuestro Dios, y os alegraréis, vosotros y vuestras familias, en toda obra de vuestras manos en que Jehová tu Dios te hubiere bendecido.

No haréis como todo lo que nosotros hacemos aquí ahora, cada uno lo que le parece,

Porque aun hasta ahora no habéis entrado al reposo y á la heredad que os da Jehová vuestro Dios.

10 Mas pasaréis el Jordán, y habitaréis en la tierra que Jehová vuestro Dios os hace heredar, y él os dará reposo de todos vuestros enemigos alrededor, y habitaréis seguros.

11 Y al lugar que Jehová vuestro Dios escogiere para hacer habitar en él su nombre, allí llevaréis todas las cosas que yo os mando: vuestros holocaustos, y vuestros sacrificios, vuestros diezmos, y las ofrendas elevadas de vuestras manos, y todo lo escogido de vuestros votos que hubiereis prometido á Jehová;

12 Y os alegraréis delante de Jehová vuestro Dios, vosotros, y vuestros hijos, y vuestras hijas, y vuestros siervos, y vuestras siervas, y el Levita que estuviere en vuestras poblaciones: por cuanto no tiene parte ni heredad con vosotros.

13 Guárdate, que no ofrezcas tus holocaustos en cualquier lugar que vieres;

14 Mas en el lugar que Jehová escogiere, en una de tus tribus, allí ofrecerás tus holocaustos, y allí harás todo lo que yo te mando.

15 Con todo, podrás matar y comer carne en todas tus poblaciones conforme al deseo de tu alma, según la bendición de Jehová tu Dios que él te habrá dado: el inmundo y el limpio la comerá, como la de corzo ó de ciervo:

16 Salvo que sangre no comeréis; sobre la tierra la derramaréis como agua.

17 Ni podrás comer en tus poblaciones el diezmo de tu grano, ó de tu vino, ó de tu aceite, ni los primerizos de tus vacas, ni de tus ovejas, ni tus votos que prometieres, ni tus ofrendas voluntarias, ni las elevadas ofrendas de tus manos:

18 Mas delante de Jehová tu Dios las comerás, en el lugar que Jehová tu Dios hubiere escogido, tú, y tu hijo, y tu hija, y tu siervo, y tu sierva, y el Levita que está en tus poblaciones: y alegrarte has delante de Jehová tu Dios en toda obra de tus manos.

19 Ten cuidado de no desamparar al Levita en todos tus días sobre tu tierra.

20 Cuando Jehová tu Dios ensanchare tu término, como él te ha dicho, y tú dijeres: Comeré carne, porque deseó tu alma comerla, conforme á todo el deseo de tu alma comerás carne.

21 Cuando estuviere lejos de ti el lugar que Jehová tu Dios habrá escogido, para poner allí su nombre, matarás de tus vacas y de tus ovejas, que Jehová te hubiere dado, como te he mandado yo, y comerás en tus puertas según todo lo que deseare tu alma.

22 Lo mismo que se come el corzo y el ciervo, así las comerás: el inmundo y el limpio comerán también de ellas.

23 Solamente que te esfuerces á no comer sangre: porque la sangre es el alma; y no has de comer el alma juntamente con su carne.

24 No la comerás: en tierra la derramarás como agua.

25 No comerás de ella; para que te vaya bien á ti, y á tus hijos después de ti, cuando hicieres lo recto en ojos de Jehová.

26 Empero las cosas que tuvieres tú consagradas, y tus votos, las tomarás, y vendrás al lugar que Jehová hubiere escogido:

27 Y ofrecerás tus holocaustos, la carne y la sangre, sobre el altar de Jehová tu Dios: y la sangre de tus sacrificios será derramada sobre el altar de Jehová tu Dios, y comerás la carne.

28 Guarda y escucha todas estas palabras que yo te mando, porque te vaya bien á ti y á tus hijos después de ti para siempre, cuando hicieres lo bueno y lo recto en los ojos de Jehová tu Dios.

29 Cuando hubiere devastado delante de ti Jehová tu Dios las naciones á donde tú vas para poseerlas, y las heredares, y habitares en su tierra,

30 Guárdate que no tropieces en pos de ellas, después que fueren destruídas delante de ti: no preguntes acerca de sus dioses, diciendo: De la manera que servían aquellas gentes á sus dioses, así haré yo también.

31 No harás así á Jehová tu Dios; porque todo lo que Jehová aborrece, hicieron ellos á sus dioses; pues aun á sus hijos é hijas quemaban en el fuego á sus dioses.

32 Cuidaréis de hacer todo lo que yo os mando: no añadirás á ello, ni quitarás de ello.

The One Place of Worship

12 These are the decrees(A) and laws you must be careful to follow in the land that the Lord, the God of your ancestors, has given you to possess—as long as you live in the land.(B) Destroy completely all the places on the high mountains,(C) on the hills and under every spreading tree,(D) where the nations you are dispossessing worship their gods. Break down their altars, smash(E) their sacred stones and burn(F) their Asherah(G) poles in the fire; cut down the idols of their gods and wipe out their names(H) from those places.

You must not worship the Lord your God in their way.(I) But you are to seek the place the Lord your God will choose from among all your tribes to put his Name(J) there for his dwelling.(K) To that place you must go; there bring your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes(L) and special gifts, what you have vowed(M) to give and your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks.(N) There, in the presence(O) of the Lord your God, you and your families shall eat and shall rejoice(P) in everything you have put your hand to, because the Lord your God has blessed you.

You are not to do as we do here today, everyone doing as they see fit,(Q) since you have not yet reached the resting place(R) and the inheritance(S) the Lord your God is giving you. 10 But you will cross the Jordan and settle in the land the Lord your God is giving(T) you as an inheritance, and he will give you rest(U) from all your enemies around you so that you will live in safety. 11 Then to the place the Lord your God will choose as a dwelling for his Name(V)—there you are to bring everything I command you: your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and special gifts, and all the choice possessions you have vowed to the Lord.(W) 12 And there rejoice(X) before the Lord your God—you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levites(Y) from your towns who have no allotment or inheritance(Z) of their own. 13 Be careful not to sacrifice your burnt offerings anywhere you please.(AA) 14 Offer them only at the place the Lord will choose(AB) in one of your tribes, and there observe everything I command you.

15 Nevertheless, you may slaughter your animals in any of your towns and eat as much of the meat as you want, as if it were gazelle or deer,(AC) according to the blessing the Lord your God gives you. Both the ceremonially unclean and the clean may eat it. 16 But you must not eat the blood;(AD) pour(AE) it out on the ground like water.(AF) 17 You must not eat in your own towns the tithe(AG) of your grain and new wine and olive oil,(AH) or the firstborn of your herds and flocks, or whatever you have vowed to give,(AI) or your freewill offerings or special gifts.(AJ) 18 Instead, you are to eat(AK) them in the presence of the Lord your God at the place the Lord your God will choose(AL)—you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levites from your towns—and you are to rejoice(AM) before the Lord your God in everything you put your hand to. 19 Be careful not to neglect the Levites(AN) as long as you live in your land.(AO)

20 When the Lord your God has enlarged your territory(AP) as he promised(AQ) you, and you crave meat(AR) and say, “I would like some meat,” then you may eat as much of it as you want. 21 If the place where the Lord your God chooses to put his Name(AS) is too far away from you, you may slaughter animals from the herds and flocks the Lord has given you, as I have commanded you, and in your own towns you may eat as much of them as you want.(AT) 22 Eat them as you would gazelle or deer.(AU) Both the ceremonially unclean and the clean may eat. 23 But be sure you do not eat the blood,(AV) because the blood is the life, and you must not eat the life with the meat.(AW) 24 You must not eat the blood; pour it out on the ground like water.(AX) 25 Do not eat it, so that it may go well(AY) with you and your children after you, because you will be doing what is right(AZ) in the eyes of the Lord.

26 But take your consecrated things and whatever you have vowed to give,(BA) and go to the place the Lord will choose. 27 Present your burnt offerings(BB) on the altar of the Lord your God, both the meat and the blood. The blood of your sacrifices must be poured beside the altar of the Lord your God, but you may eat(BC) the meat. 28 Be careful to obey all these regulations I am giving you, so that it may always go well(BD) with you and your children after you, because you will be doing what is good and right in the eyes of the Lord your God.

29 The Lord your God will cut off(BE) before you the nations you are about to invade and dispossess. But when you have driven them out and settled in their land,(BF) 30 and after they have been destroyed before you, be careful not to be ensnared(BG) by inquiring about their gods, saying, “How do these nations serve their gods? We will do the same.”(BH) 31 You must not worship the Lord your God in their way, because in worshiping their gods, they do all kinds of detestable things the Lord hates.(BI) They even burn their sons(BJ) and daughters in the fire as sacrifices to their gods.(BK)

32 See that you do all I command you; do not add(BL) to it or take away from it.[a]

Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 12:32 In Hebrew texts this verse (12:32) is numbered 13:1.