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Deuteronomy 12
Evangelical Heritage Version

12 These are the statutes and the ordinances that you are to be conscientious about keeping in the land that the Lord, the God of your fathers, has given to you to possess all the days that you live in the land:

2 Completely destroy all the places where the nations that you are driving out serve their gods, whether on the high mountains or on the hills or under every beautiful green tree. 3 Tear down their altars! Smash their sacred memorial stones! Burn their Asherah poles[a] with fire, and cut down the carved images of their gods! In this way you will destroy their names from those places.

4 Do not serve the Lord your God in the way that they worship, 5 but seek out and go to the site that the Lord your God will choose from within all your tribes to place his name and his dwelling place. 6 There you are to bring your burnt offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes and the elevated offerings from your hands, your offerings to fulfill a vow, your voluntary offerings, and the firstborn of your herd and your flock. 7 Eat there in the presence of the Lord your God, and rejoice in everything you do, you and your household, because the Lord your God has blessed you.

8 Do not in any way do what we are doing here today, that is, each person doing whatever is right in his own eyes, 9 because you have not yet come to your place of rest, the inheritance that the Lord your God is giving to you.

10 But you will cross over the Jordan and settle in the land that the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, and he will give you rest from all your enemies all around you, so that you will live in safety. 11 Then go to the place that the Lord your God chooses as the place to establish his name. There you are to bring everything that I am commanding you: your burnt offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes, the offerings from your hands, and all the best voluntary offerings that you vow to the Lord.

12 You will rejoice before the Lord your God, you and your sons and your daughters, and your male servants and your female servants, and the Levites who live within the gates of your cities, because they do not have an allotted inheritance among you.

13 Be careful that you do not offer up your burnt offering in just any place that you see fit, 14 but only in the place that the Lord will choose in one of your tribes. That is where you are to offer up your burnt offerings and where you are to do everything that I am commanding you.

15 But in any town you may butcher and eat meat to your heart’s content, as the Lord your God has blessed you. The unclean and the clean person alike may eat it as they would a gazelle or a deer, 16 but you must never eat the blood. Pour it on the ground like water.

17 You are not to eat the tithe from your grain, your new wine, or your fresh oil in your towns. The same applies to the firstborn of your herd and your flock, or anything you vow, or your voluntary offerings, or your special elevated offerings. 18 Eat those things before the Lord your God in the place that the Lord your God will choose—you and your sons and your daughters, your male servants and your female servants, and the Levites within your cities. Rejoice before the Lord your God in everything that you are doing.

19 Be careful that you do not neglect the Levites as long as you live on your land.

20 When the Lord your God expands your territory as he promised you, and you say, “I would like to eat meat,” because you are hungry for meat, then you may eat it to your heart’s content. 21 If the place that the Lord your God will choose to establish his name is too far away for you, then you may slaughter[b] animals from your herd and flock which the Lord has given you, just as I commanded you, and you may eat within your cities as you desire. 22 Yes, just as gazelle and deer are eaten, you may eat it. The unclean and the clean person alike may eat it. 23 Only be very sure not to eat the blood, because the blood is the life, and you must not eat the life together with the flesh. 24 Do not eat it. Pour it out on the ground like water. 25 Do not eat it, so that it may go well for you and for your children after you when you do what is right in the eyes of the Lord.

26 But as for the holy things that you have and your voluntary offerings, gather them up and take them to the place that the Lord will choose. 27 Offer your burnt offerings, both the flesh and the blood, on the altar of the Lord your God. The blood of the sacrifice is to be poured out on the altar of the Lord your God, but the meat you may eat.

28 Be careful that you obey all these words that I am commanding you so that it may go well for you and for your children after you in the distant future when you do what is good and right in the eyes of the Lord your God.

29 When the Lord your God cuts off the nations where you are going and drives them out before you, and when you take possession of their land and settle in it, 30 be careful that you are not snared after they have been destroyed before you. Do not inquire about their gods and ask, “How did these people serve their gods? I also want to do the same thing.”

31 Do not serve the Lord your God in the way that they worship, because they do for their gods every detestable thing that the Lord hates. They even burn their sons and daughters in fire for their gods.

32 Be careful to do everything that I am commanding you. Do not add to it, and do not subtract from it.

Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 12:3 Asherah poles were representations of the goddess Asherah. They may have been living trees or poles carved from tree trunks.
  2. Deuteronomy 12:21 The word translated slaughter often refers to sacrifices, but sacrifices were to be offered only at the Dwelling, which was the only legitimate sanctuary.
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Deuteronomy 12
Lexham English Bible

Detailed Stipulations: Purity and Unity

12 “These are the rules and the regulations that you must diligently observe[a] in the land that Yahweh, the God of your ancestors,[b] has given to you to take possession of it, during all the days that you are living on the land.

2 You must completely demolish all of the places there where they served their gods, that is, the nations whom you are about to dispossess, on the high mountains, and on the hills and under each leafy green tree.[c] 3 And you shall break down their altars, and you shall smash their stone pillars, and their Asherah poles you must burn with fire, and the images of their gods you shall hew down, and you shall blot out their names from that place. 4 You shall not worship Yahweh your God like this. 5 But only[d] to the place that Yahweh your God will choose from all of your tribes to place his name there as his dwelling shall you seek, and there you shall go. 6 And you shall bring there your burnt offerings and your sacrifices and your tithes and your donations[e] and your votive gifts and your freewill offerings and the firstling of your herd and your flock. 7 And you shall eat there before[f] Yahweh your God, and you shall rejoice in all your endeavors,[g] you and your family in which Yahweh your God has blessed you.

8 “You must not do just as we are doing here today,[h] each according to all that is right in his eyes.[i] 9 For you have not come up to now to the resting place and to the inheritance that Yahweh your God is giving to you. 10 But you will cross the Jordan, and you will settle in the land that Yahweh your God is giving you as an inheritance, and he will give rest to you from all your enemies from all around, and you will live securely, 11 and then[j] at the place that Yahweh your God will choose, to let his name dwell there, there you shall bring all the things I am commanding you, your burnt offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes and your donations,[k] and all of the choice things, your votive gifts that you vow to Yahweh. 12 And you shall rejoice before[l] Yahweh your God, you and your sons and your daughters and your slaves and your slave women and the Levite who is in your towns,[m] because there is not for him a plot of ground and an inheritance with you.

13 “Take care for yourself so that you do not offer your burnt offerings at just any place that you happen to see, 14 but only[n] at the place that Yahweh will choose among one of your tribes; there you shall offer your burnt offerings, and there you shall do all the things that I am commanding you.

15 “But whenever you desire[o] you may slaughter, and you may eat meat according to the blessing of Yahweh your God that he has given to you in all of your towns;[p] the unclean and the clean may eat it just as they would the gazelle and as the deer. 16 Only the blood you must not eat, but on the ground you must pour it like water. 17 You are not allowed to eat in your towns[q] the tithe of your grain and your wine and your olive oil and the firstborn of your herd and your flock and all of your votive gifts that you vowed and your freewill offering and your donations.[r] 18 But only before[s] Yahweh your God you shall eat it, at the place that Yahweh your God will choose,[t] you and your son and your daughter and your slave and your slave woman and the Levite who is in your towns,[u] and you must rejoice before[v] your God in all your undertakings.[w] 19 Take care[x] so that you do not neglect the Levite all of your days on your land.

20 “When Yahweh your God enlarges your territory just as he has promised[y] to you, and you say ‘I want to eat some meat,’ because you want it,[z] whenever you desire[aa] you may eat meat. 21 If the place that[ab] Yahweh your God will choose to put his name there is too far from you, and you slaughter any of your herd and any of your flock that Yahweh has given to you just as I have commanded you, then you may eat whenever you desire in your towns.[ac] 22 Surely just as the gazelle and the deer is eaten, so both the unclean and the clean together may eat it. 23 Only, be sure not to eat the blood, because the blood is the life, and you shall not eat the life with the meat. 24 You shall not eat it, but on the ground you shall pour it out like water. 25 You shall not eat it, so that it will go well[ad] for you and your children after you, because then you will be doing what is[ae] right in the eyes of Yahweh. 26 Only your holy objects that are yours[af] and your votive gifts you must carry and you must bring to the place that Yahweh will choose. 27 And you shall offer your burnt offerings, the flesh and the blood on the altar of Yahweh your God, and the blood of your sacrifices you shall pour out on the altar of Yahweh your God, but the meat you may eat. 28 Be careful to obey[ag] all these things that I am commanding you, so that it will go well[ah] for you and for your children after you forever,[ai] because then you will be doing what is[aj] good and right[ak] in the eyes of Yahweh your God.

29 “When Yahweh your God has cut off the nations whom you are about to go to,[al] to dispossess them before you,[am] and you have dispossessed them, and you live in their land, 30 take care[an] so that you are not ensnared into imitating them[ao] after their being destroyed from before you,[ap] and so that you not enquire concerning their gods, saying,[aq] ‘How did these nations serve their gods, and thus I myself[ar] want to do also.’ 31 You must not do so toward Yahweh your God, because of every detestable thing they have done for their gods Yahweh hates, for even their sons and their daughters they would burn in the fire to their gods. 32 [as] All of the things[at] that I am commanding you, you must diligently observe;[au] you shall not add to it, and you shall not take away from it.”

Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 12:1 Literally “that you must observe to do”
  2. Deuteronomy 12:1 Or “fathers”
  3. Deuteronomy 12:2 Or “spreading tree”
  4. Deuteronomy 12:5 Literally “But if”
  5. Deuteronomy 12:6 Literally “the contributions of your hand”
  6. Deuteronomy 12:7 Literally “before the faces of”
  7. Deuteronomy 12:7 Literally “in all of the sending of your hand”
  8. Deuteronomy 12:8 Literally “the day”
  9. Deuteronomy 12:8 Literally “each man all of the right in his eyes”
  10. Deuteronomy 12:11 Literally “and it will happen”
  11. Deuteronomy 12:11 Literally “the contribution of your hand”
  12. Deuteronomy 12:12 Literally “the face of”
  13. Deuteronomy 12:12 Literally “gates”
  14. Deuteronomy 12:14 Literally “but only if”
  15. Deuteronomy 12:15 Literally “in all the wanting of your soul/inner self”
  16. Deuteronomy 12:15 Literally “gates”
  17. Deuteronomy 12:17 Literally “gates”
  18. Deuteronomy 12:17 Literally “the contribution of your hand”
  19. Deuteronomy 12:18 Literally “before the face of”
  20. Deuteronomy 12:18 Hebrew “choose it”
  21. Deuteronomy 12:18 Literally “gate”
  22. Deuteronomy 12:18 Literally “before the face of”
  23. Deuteronomy 12:18 Literally “in all of the sending of your hand”
  24. Deuteronomy 12:19 Literally “Watch for yourself”
  25. Deuteronomy 12:20 Literally “spoken”
  26. Deuteronomy 12:20 Literally “because your soul/inner self desires it”
  27. Deuteronomy 12:20 Literally “at/in all the wanting of your soul/inner self”
  28. Deuteronomy 12:21 Or “where”
  29. Deuteronomy 12:21 Literally “gates”
  30. Deuteronomy 12:25 Literally “it/he is good”
  31. Deuteronomy 12:25 Hebrew “the”
  32. Deuteronomy 12:26 Literally “that are for you”
  33. Deuteronomy 12:28 Literally “Watch carefully and listen”
  34. Deuteronomy 12:28 Literally “he/it is good”
  35. Deuteronomy 12:28 Literally “until ever”
  36. Deuteronomy 12:28 Hebrew “the”
  37. Deuteronomy 12:28 Hebrew “the right”
  38. Deuteronomy 12:29 Literally “about to go to there”
  39. Deuteronomy 12:29 Literally “from the face of you”
  40. Deuteronomy 12:30 Literally “Watch for yourself”
  41. Deuteronomy 12:30 Literally “after them”
  42. Deuteronomy 12:30 Literally “from the face of you”
  43. Deuteronomy 12:30 Literally “to say”
  44. Deuteronomy 12:30 Emphatic use of the pronoun
  45. Deuteronomy 12:32 Deuteronomy 12:32–13:18 in the English Bible is 13:1–19 in the Hebrew Bible
  46. Deuteronomy 12:32 Hebrew “thing”
  47. Deuteronomy 12:32 Literally “you must observe to do it”
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Deuteronomy 12
New International Version

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) 2 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. 3 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.

4 You must not worship the Lord your God in their way.(I) 5 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; 6 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) 7 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.

8 You are not to do as we do here today, everyone doing as they see fit,(Q) 9 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.
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Evangelical Heritage Version (EHV)

The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.

Lexham English Bible (LEB)

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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.

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