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El santuario único

12 »Éstos son los estatutos y decretos que ustedes tendrán cuidado de poner por obra todos los días que ustedes vivan en la tierra que el Señor, el Dios de sus padres, les ha dado en posesión. Destruirán por completo todos los montes altos y colinas, y todo árbol frondoso, donde sirvieron a sus dioses las naciones que ustedes van a heredar. Derribarán sus altares, harán pedazos sus estatuas, echarán al fuego sus imágenes de Asera, destruirán las esculturas de sus dioses, y borrarán de aquel lugar(A) su nombre. Pero con el Señor su Dios no actuarán así, sino que buscarán el lugar que el Señor su Dios escoja de entre todas sus tribus para poner allí la residencia de su nombre, y allá acudirán para llevar sus holocaustos y sacrificios, diezmos, ofrendas elevadas, sus votos y ofrendas voluntarias, y las primicias de sus vacas y de sus ovejas; allí también comerán ustedes y sus familias delante del Señor su Dios, y se regocijarán en todo lo que hagan y en lo que el Señor su Dios les haya bendecido. No harán nada de lo que ahora hacemos aquí, donde cada uno hace lo que mejor le parece, porque hasta el momento no han entrado al reposo y a la tierra que el Señor su Dios les da. 10 Pero cruzarán el Jordán, y habitarán en la tierra que el Señor su Dios les da como herencia, y él los hará reposar de todos los enemigos que los rodean, y vivirán tranquilos.

11 »En el lugar que el Señor su Dios escoja para poner allí su nombre, llevarán todas las cosas que yo les mando: holocaustos, sacrificios, diezmos, ofrendas elevadas, y lo mejor de los votos que hayan prometido presentar al Señor. 12 Y se regocijarán delante del Señor su Dios ustedes y sus hijos, hijas, siervos y siervas, y los levitas que habiten en sus poblaciones, ya que ellos no tienen ninguna propiedad entre ustedes. 13 Tengan cuidado de no ofrecer sus holocaustos en cualquier lugar que vean, 14 sino que deben ofrecerlos en el lugar de una de las tribus que el Señor escoja, y allí cumplirás con todo lo que yo te mando que hagas.

15 »Sin embargo, podrás matar y comer carne en todas tus poblaciones, según lo desees y según la bendición que el Señor tu Dios te haya dado. De ello podrá comer quien esté puro y quien esté impuro, como si se tratara de carne de gacela o de ciervo. 16 Pero la sangre no la comerán,(B) sino que la derramarán sobre la tierra como si fuera agua. 17 Tampoco comerás en tus poblaciones el diezmo de tu grano, de tu vino o de tu aceite, ni las primicias de tus vacas, ni de tus ovejas, ni los votos que hagas, ni las ofrendas voluntarias, ni las ofrendas elevadas, 18 sino que las comerás delante del Señor tu Dios, en el lugar que el Señor tu Dios haya escogido; las comerás tú, y tu hijo y tu hija, y tu siervo y tu sierva, y el levita que habite en tus poblaciones, y te regocijarás delante del Señor tu Dios por todo lo que hayas hecho con tus manos. 19 Pero ten cuidado de no desamparar al levita todos tus días sobre la tierra.

20 »Cuando el Señor tu Dios ensanche tu territorio, como él te lo ha dicho, y tú digas: “Voy a comer carne”, porque deseas comerla, podrás hacerlo conforme a tu deseo. 21 Si está lejos de ti el lugar que el Señor tu Dios haya escogido para establecer allí su nombre, podrás matar alguna de las vacas o de las ovejas que el Señor te haya dado, tal y como te lo he ordenado, y comer toda la carne que quieras, dentro de tu ciudad. 22 Podrás comerla como si se tratara de carne de gacela o de ciervo, y también podrán comerla los que estén puros y los que estén impuros. 23 Pero debes ser firme en cuanto a no comer sangre, porque la sangre es la vida, así que no comerás la vida juntamente con su carne. 24 No la comerás, sino que la derramarás en tierra, como si fuera agua.(C) 25 No la comerás, para que te vaya bien a ti, y a tus hijos después de ti, si es que haces lo recto a los ojos del Señor. 26 Pero tomarás lo que hayas consagrado, junto con tus votos, y las llevarás al lugar que el Señor haya escogido, 27 y allí, sobre el altar del Señor tu Dios, ofrecerás tus holocaustos, y la carne y la sangre; allí la sangre de tus sacrificios será derramada sobre el altar del Señor tu Dios, y entonces podrás comer la carne. 28 Ten cuidado y escucha todas estas palabras que yo te mando, para que al hacer lo bueno y lo recto a los ojos del Señor tu Dios te vaya bien siempre, a ti y a tus hijos después de ti.

Advertencias contra la idolatría

29 »Cuando el Señor tu Dios haya destruido a tu paso las naciones de las que tú vas a tomar posesión, y las hayas tomado, y te hayas establecido en su tierra, 30 una vez que hayan sido destruidas delante de ti, ten cuidado de no tropezar al ir en pos de ellas. No preguntes acerca de sus dioses, ni digas: “Así como aquellas naciones servían a sus dioses, también yo les serviré.” 31 No trates así al Señor tu Dios, porque ellos hicieron con sus dioses todo lo que es repugnante, y que el Señor aborrece. ¡Incluso lanzaban al fuego a sus hijos y a sus hijas, como ofrenda a sus dioses!

32 »Ten cuidado de hacer todo lo que yo te mando que hagas. No le añadas nada, ni le quites.(D)

12 These are the chukkim and mishpatim over which ye shall be shomer to do in ha’aretz, which Hashem Elohei Avoteicha giveth thee to possess it, kol hayamim that ye live upon ha’adamah.

Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the Goyim which ye shall possess served their elohim, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree;

And ye shall overthrow their mizbechot, and break their matzeivot, and burn their Asherim with eish; and ye shall hew down peselim of their elohim, and destroy the names of them out of that place.

Ye shall not do so unto Hashem Eloheichem.

But unto the place which Hashem Eloheichem shall choose out of all your shevatim to put Shmo there, even unto His habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come:

And thither ye shall bring your olot, and your zevakhim, and your ma’aseros (tithes), and terumot (heave offerings) of your hand, and your nedarim (vows), and your nedavot (freewill offerings), and the bekhorot (firstlings) of your herds and of your flocks;

And there ye shall eat before Hashem Eloheichem, and ye shall rejoice in all that ye put your hand unto, ye and your households, wherein Hashem Eloheicha hath blessed thee.

Ye shall not do after all the things that we do here today, ish koh hayashar be’einav (every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes).

For ye are not as yet come to the menuchah (resting place) and to the nachalah, which Hashem Eloheicha giveth you.

10 But when ye go over Yarden, and dwell in ha’aretz which Hashem Eloheichem giveth you to inherit, and when He giveth you rest from all your enemies round about, so that ye dwell in safety;

11 Then there shall be a place which Hashem Eloheichem shall choose to cause Shmo to dwell there; thither shall ye bring all that I command you; your olot, and your zevakhim, your ma’aseros (tithes), and the terumah (heave offering) of your hand, and all your choice nedarim (vows) which ye vow unto Hashem;

12 And ye shall rejoice before Hashem Eloheichem, ye, and your banim, and your banot, and your avadim, and your maidservants, and the Levi that is within your she’arim; forasmuch as he hath no chelek nor nachalah with you.

13 Take heed to thyself that thou offer not thy olot in every place that thou seest;

14 But in the place which Hashem shall choose in one of thy shevatim, there thou shalt offer thy olot, and there thou shalt do all that I command thee.

15 Notwithstanding, thou mayest kill and eat basar in all thy she’arim, whatsoever thy nefesh desireth, according to the birkat Hashem Eloheicha which He hath given thee; hatameh (the unclean) and hatahor (the clean) may eat thereof, as if it were gazelle or deer.

16 Only ye shall not eat the dahm; ye shall pour it upon ha’aretz as mayim.

17 Thou mayest not eat within thy she’arim the ma’aser (tithe) of thy dagan (grain), or of thy tirosh (new wine), or of thy yitzhar (fresh oil), or the bekhorot (firstlings) of thy herds or of thy flock, nor any of thy nedarim (vows) which thou vowest, nor thy nedavot (freewill offerings), or terumah (heave offering) of thine hand;

18 But thou must eat them before Hashem Eloheicha in the place which Hashem Eloheicha shall choose, thou, and thy ben, and thy bat, and thy eved, and thy amah, and the Levi that is within thy she’arim; and thou shalt rejoice before Hashem Eloheicha in all that thou puttest thine hands unto.

19 Be shomer to thyself that thou forsake not the Levi as long as thou livest upon ha’aretz.

20 When Hashem Eloheicha shall enlarge thy border, as He hath promised thee, and thou shalt say, I will eat basar, because thy nefesh longeth to eat basar; thou mayest eat basar, whatsoever thy nefesh desireth after.

21 If the place which Hashem Eloheicha hath chosen to put Shmo there be too far from thee, then thou shalt kill of thy herd and of thy flock, which Hashem hath given thee, as I have commanded thee, and thou shalt eat in thy she’arim whatsoever thy nefesh desireth after.

22 Even as the gazelle and the deer is eaten, so thou shalt eat them; the tameh (unclean) and the tahor (clean) shall eat of them alike.

23 Only be sure that thou eat not the dahm; for the dahm is the nefesh; and thou mayest not eat the nefesh with the basar.

24 Thou shalt not eat it; thou shalt pour it upon ha’aretz as mayim.

25 Thou shalt not eat it; that it may go well with thee, and with thy banim after thee, when thou shalt do that which is yashar in the sight of Hashem.

26 Only thy kadashim (holy things) which thou hast, and thy nedarim (vows), thou shalt take, and go unto the place which Hashem shall choose;

27 And thou shalt offer thy olot, the basar and the dahm, upon the Mizbe’ach of Hashem Eloheicha; and the dahm of thy zevakhim (sacrifices) shall be poured out upon the mizbe’ach of Hashem Eloheicha, and thou shalt eat the basar.

28 Be shomer and heed all these devarim which I command thee, that it may go well with thee, and with thy banim after thee ad olam, when thou doest that which is tov and yashar in the sight of Hashem Eloheicha.

29 When Hashem Eloheicha shall cut off the Goyim from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou displace them, and dwellest in their land;

30 Be shomer to thyself that thou be not ensnared to follow them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou inquire not after their elohim, saying, How did these Goyim serve their elohim? Even so will I do likewise.

31 Thou shalt not do so unto Hashem Eloheicha; for kol to’avat Hashem (every abomination to Hashem), which He hateth, have they done unto their elohim; for even their banim and their banot they have burned in the eish to their elohim.

32 (13:1) What thing soever I command you, be shomer to do it; thou shalt not add thereto, nor take away or diminish from it.

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.

A Prescribed Place of Worship

12 “These (A)are the statutes and judgments which you shall be careful to observe in the land which the Lord God of your fathers is giving you to possess, (B)all[a] the days that you live on the earth. (C)You shall utterly destroy all the places where the nations which you shall dispossess served their gods, (D)on the high mountains and on the hills and under every green tree. And (E)you shall destroy their altars, break their sacred pillars, and burn their [b]wooden images with fire; you shall cut down the carved images of their gods and destroy their names from that place. You shall not (F)worship the Lord your God with such things.

“But you shall seek the (G)place where the Lord your God chooses, out of all your tribes, to put His name for His (H)dwelling[c] place; and there you shall go. (I)There you shall take your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the heave offerings of your hand, your vowed offerings, your freewill offerings, and the (J)firstborn of your herds and flocks. And (K)there you shall eat before the Lord your God, and (L)you shall rejoice in [d]all to which you have put your hand, you and your households, in which the Lord your God has blessed you.

“You shall not at all do as we are doing here today—(M)every man doing whatever is right in his own eyes— for as yet you have not come to the (N)rest[e] and the inheritance which the Lord your God is giving you. 10 But when you cross over the Jordan and dwell in the land which the Lord your God is giving you to inherit, and He gives you (O)rest from all your enemies round about, so that you dwell in safety, 11 then there will be the place where the Lord your God chooses to make His name abide. There you shall bring all that I command you: your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the heave offerings of your hand, and all your choice offerings which you vow to the Lord. 12 And (P)you shall rejoice before the Lord your God, you and your sons and your daughters, your male and female servants, and the (Q)Levite who is within your gates, since he has no portion nor inheritance with you. 13 Take heed to yourself that you do not offer your burnt offerings in every place that 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 “However, (R)you may slaughter and eat meat within all your gates, whatever your heart desires, according to the blessing of the Lord your God which He has given you; (S)the unclean and the clean may eat of it, (T)of the gazelle and the deer alike. 16 (U)Only you shall not eat the blood; you shall pour it on the earth like water. 17 You may not eat within your gates the tithe of your grain or your new wine or your oil, of the firstborn of your herd or your flock, of any of your offerings which you vow, of your freewill offerings, or of the [f]heave offering of your hand. 18 But you must eat them before the Lord your God in the place which the Lord your God chooses, you and your son and your daughter, your male servant and your female servant, and the Levite who is within your gates; and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God in [g]all to which you put your hands. 19 [h]Take heed to yourself that you do not forsake the Levite as long as you live in your land.

20 “When the Lord your God (V)enlarges your border as He has promised you, and you say, ‘Let me eat meat,’ because you long to eat meat, you may eat as much meat as your heart desires. 21 If the place where the Lord your God chooses to put His name is too far from (W)you, then you may slaughter from your herd and from your flock which the Lord has given you, just as I have commanded you, and you may eat within your gates as much as your heart desires. 22 Just as the gazelle and the deer are eaten, so you may eat them; the unclean and the clean alike may eat them. 23 Only be sure that you do not eat the blood, (X)for the blood is the life; you may not eat the life with the meat. 24 You shall not eat it; you shall pour it on the earth like water. 25 You shall not eat it, (Y)that it may go well with you and your children after you, (Z)when you do what is right in the sight of the Lord. 26 Only the (AA)holy things which you have, and your vowed offerings, you shall take and go to the place which the Lord chooses. 27 And (AB)you shall offer your burnt offerings, the meat 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 you shall eat the meat. 28 Observe and obey all these words which I command you, (AC)that it may go well with you and your children after you forever, when you do what is good and right in the sight of the Lord your God.

Beware of False Gods

29 “When (AD)the Lord your God cuts off from before you the nations which you go to dispossess, and you displace them and dwell in their land, 30 take heed to yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed from before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.’ 31 (AE)You shall not worship the Lord your God in that way; for every [i]abomination to the Lord which He hates they have done to their gods; for (AF)they burn even their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods.

32 “Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; (AG)you shall not add to it nor take away from it.

Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 12:1 As long as
  2. Deuteronomy 12:3 Heb. Asherim
  3. Deuteronomy 12:5 home
  4. Deuteronomy 12:7 all that you undertake
  5. Deuteronomy 12:9 Or place of rest
  6. Deuteronomy 12:17 contribution
  7. Deuteronomy 12:18 all your undertakings
  8. Deuteronomy 12:19 Be careful
  9. Deuteronomy 12:31 detestable action