Deuteronomy 12
New American Standard Bible
Laws of the Sanctuary
12 “These are the statutes and the judgments which you shall carefully [a]follow in the land which the Lord, the God of your fathers, has given you to possess [b](A)as long as you live on the [c]earth. 2 You shall utterly destroy all the places where the nations whom you are going to dispossess serve their gods, on the (B)high mountains, on the hills, and under every leafy tree. 3 And (C)you shall tear down their altars and smash their memorial stones to pieces, and burn their [d]Asherim in the fire, and cut to pieces the carved images of their gods; and you shall (D)eliminate their name from that place. 4 You shall not act this way toward the Lord your God. 5 (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 you shall come there. 6 You shall bring there your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, (F)your tithes, the [e]contribution of your hand, your vowed offerings, your [f]voluntary offerings, and the firstborn of your herd and of your flock. 7 There you and your households shall eat before the Lord your God, and (G)rejoice in all [g]your undertakings in which the Lord your God has blessed you.
8 “You shall not do at all what we are doing here today, (H)everyone doing whatever is right in his own eyes; 9 for you have not as yet come to (I)the resting place and the (J)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 as an inheritance, and (K)He gives you rest from all your enemies around you so that you live in security, 11 (L)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 everything that I command you: your burnt offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes and the [h]contribution of your hand, and all your choice vowed offerings which you will vow to the Lord. 12 And you shall (M)rejoice before the Lord your God, you and your sons and daughters, your male and female slaves, and the (N)Levite who is within your gates, since (O)he has no portion or inheritance with you.
13 “(P)Be careful that you do not offer your burnt offerings in any cultic place that you see, 14 but only in the place which the Lord chooses in one of your tribes: there you shall offer your burnt offerings, and there you shall do everything that I command you.
15 “(Q)However, you may slaughter and eat meat within any of your gates, [i]whatever you desire, according to the blessing of the Lord your God which He has given you; the unclean and the clean alike may eat it, as (R)the gazelle and the deer. 16 (S)Only you shall not eat the blood; (T)you are to pour it out on the ground like water. 17 (U)You are not allowed to eat within your gates the tithe of your grain, new wine, or oil, or the firstborn of your herd or flock, or any of your vowed offerings which you vow, or your [j]voluntary offerings, or the [k]contribution of your hand. 18 But (V)you shall eat them before the Lord your God in (W)the place which the Lord your God will choose, you and your son and daughter, and your male and female slaves, and the (X)Levite who is within your gates; and you shall (Y)rejoice before the Lord your God in all [l]your undertakings. 19 (Z)Be careful that you do not abandon the Levite [m]as long as you live in your land.
20 “When the Lord your God extends your border (AA)as He has [n]promised you, and you say, ‘I will eat meat,’ because [o]you desire to eat meat, then you may eat meat, [p]whatever you desire. 21 If the place where the Lord your God chooses to put His name is too far from you, then you may slaughter animals from your herd and flock which the Lord has given you, as I have commanded you; and you may eat within your gates [q]whatever you desire. 22 Just as a gazelle or a deer is eaten, so you may eat it; the unclean and the clean alike may eat it. 23 Only be sure (AB)not to eat the blood, for the blood is the [r]life, and you shall not eat the [s]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 (AC)it may go well for you and your sons after you, since (AD)you will be doing what is right in the sight of the Lord. 26 (AE)Only your holy things which you may have and your vowed offerings, you shall take and go to the place which the Lord chooses. 27 And (AF)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 (AG)you shall eat the flesh.
28 “Be careful and listen to all these words which I am commanding you, so that (AH)it may go well for 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 (AI)the Lord your God cuts off from you the nations which you are going in to dispossess, and you dispossess them and live in their land, 30 be careful that you are not ensnared [t]to follow them, after they are destroyed from your presence, and that you do not inquire about their gods, saying, ‘How do these nations serve their gods, that I also may do likewise?’ 31 (AJ)You shall not behave this way toward the Lord your God, because every abominable act which the Lord hates, they have done for their gods; for (AK)they even burn their sons and daughters in the fire for their gods.
32 “[u](AL)Whatever I command you, you shall be careful to do; (AM)you shall not add to nor take anything away from it.
Footnotes
- Deuteronomy 12:1 Lit perform
- Deuteronomy 12:1 Lit all the days
- Deuteronomy 12:1 Lit ground
- Deuteronomy 12:3 I.e., wooden symbols of a female deity (Asherah)
- Deuteronomy 12:6 Or uplifted offering
- Deuteronomy 12:6 Or freewill offerings
- Deuteronomy 12:7 Lit the putting forth of your hand
- Deuteronomy 12:11 Or uplifted offering
- Deuteronomy 12:15 Lit in every desire of your soul
- Deuteronomy 12:17 Or freewill offerings
- Deuteronomy 12:17 Or uplifted offering
- Deuteronomy 12:18 Lit the putting forth of your hand
- Deuteronomy 12:19 Lit all your days upon your land
- Deuteronomy 12:20 Lit spoken to
- Deuteronomy 12:20 Lit your soul desires
- Deuteronomy 12:20 Lit in every desire of your soul
- Deuteronomy 12:21 Lit in every desire of your soul
- Deuteronomy 12:23 Lit soul
- Deuteronomy 12:23 Lit soul
- Deuteronomy 12:30 Lit after them
- Deuteronomy 12:32 Lit Everything that
Deuteronomy 12
Amplified Bible
Laws of the Sanctuary
12 “These are the statutes and judgments (precepts) which you shall be careful to do in the land which the Lord, the God of your fathers, has given you to possess as long as you live on the earth. 2 You shall utterly destroy all the places where the nations whom you shall dispossess serve their gods, on the high mountains and the hills and under every green [leafy] tree. 3 You shall tear down their altars and smash their [idolatrous] pillars and burn their [a]Asherim in the fire; you shall cut down the carved and sculpted images of their gods and obliterate their name from that place. 4 You shall not act like this toward the Lord your God. 5 But you shall seek the Lord at the place which the Lord your God will choose out of all your tribes to establish His [b]Name there for His dwelling [place], and there you shall come [to worship Him]. 6 There you shall bring your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the contribution of your hand, your votive (pledged, vowed) offerings, your freewill (voluntary) offerings, and the firstborn of your herd and of your flock. 7 And there you and your households shall eat before the Lord your God, and rejoice in all to which you put your hand, in which the Lord your God has blessed you.
8 “You shall not do at all what we are doing here [in the camp] today, every man doing whatever is right in his [own] eyes. 9 For you have not yet come to the resting place and to the 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 He gives you rest from all your enemies around you so that you live in security, 11 then it shall come about that the place which the Lord your God will choose for His Name [and Presence] to dwell; there you shall bring everything that I am commanding you: your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes and the [voluntary] contribution of your hand [as a first gift from the fruits of the ground], and all your choice votive offerings which you vow to the Lord. 12 And you shall rejoice before the Lord your God, you and your sons and your daughters, and your male and female servants, and the Levite who is within your [city] gates, since he has no portion or inheritance with you.
13 “Be careful that you do not offer your burnt offerings in every [cultic] place you see, 14 but [only] in the place which the Lord will choose in one of your tribes, there you shall offer your burnt offerings, and there you shall do everything that I am commanding you.
15 “However, you may slaughter and eat meat within any of your [city] gates, whatever you wish, according to the blessing of the Lord your God which He has given you [as His generous provision for daily life]. The [ceremonially] unclean and the clean may eat it, such as the gazelle and the deer. 16 Only you shall not eat the blood; you are to pour it out on the ground like water. 17 You are forbidden to eat within your [city] 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, or your freewill offerings, or the contribution of your hand. 18 But you shall eat them before the Lord your God in the place which the Lord your God will choose, you and your son and your daughter, and your male and female servants, and the Levite who is within your [city] gates; and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God in all [c]that you undertake. 19 Be careful that you do not neglect the Levite [who serves God] [d]as long as you live in your land.
20 “When the Lord your God extends your territory, as He promised you, and you say, ‘I will eat meat,’ because you want to eat meat, then you may eat meat, whatever [e]you wish. 21 If the place which the Lord your God chooses to put His Name (Presence) is too far away from you, then you may slaughter [animals] from your herd or flock which the Lord has given you, just as I have commanded you; and you may eat within your [city] gates whatever you wish. 22 Just as the gazelle or the deer is eaten, so you may eat it [but not make it an offering]; the [ceremonially] unclean and the clean alike may eat it. 23 Only be sure that you do not eat the blood, for the blood is the life (soul), and you shall not eat the life with the meat. 24 You shall not eat it; you shall pour it out on the ground like water. 25 You shall not eat it, so that all may be well with you and with your children after you, because you will be doing what is right in the sight of the Lord. 26 However, you shall take your holy things which you have [to offer] and your votive (pledged, vowed) offerings, you shall take them and go to the place which the Lord will choose. 27 And 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 “Be careful to listen to all these words which I am commanding you, so that it may be well with you and with your [f]children after you 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 cuts off and destroys before you the nations which you are going in to dispossess, and you dispossess them and settle in their land, 30 beware that you are not lured (ensnared) into following them, after they have been destroyed before you, and that you do not inquire about their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods, so that I too may do likewise?’ 31 You shall not behave this way toward the Lord your God, for they have done for their gods every repulsive thing which the Lord hates; for they even burn their sons and their daughters in the fire [as sacrifices] to their gods.
32 “Everything I command you, you shall be careful to do it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it.
Footnotes
- Deuteronomy 12:3 Wooden symbols of the goddess Asherah.
- Deuteronomy 12:5 The “Name” of God is equivalent to His gracious presence in passages such as this one. The place where God puts His Name is the place where He chooses to dwell.
- Deuteronomy 12:18 Lit the putting forth of your hand.
- Deuteronomy 12:19 Lit all your days on.
- Deuteronomy 12:20 Lit your soul desires.
- Deuteronomy 12:28 Lit sons.
Deuteronomy 12
The Message
12 These are the rules and regulations that you must diligently observe for as long as you live in this country that God, the God-of-Your-Fathers, has given you to possess.
2-3 Ruthlessly demolish all the sacred shrines where the nations that you’re driving out worship their gods—wherever you find them, on hills and mountains or in groves of green trees. Tear apart their altars. Smash their phallic pillars. Burn their sex-and-religion Asherah shrines. Break up their carved gods. Obliterate the names of those god sites.
4 Stay clear of those places—don’t let what went on there contaminate the worship of God, your God.
5-7 Instead find the site that God, your God, will choose and mark it with his name as a common center for all the tribes of Israel. Assemble there. Bring to that place your Absolution-Offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and Tribute-Offerings, your Vow-Offerings, your Freewill-Offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks. Feast there in the Presence of God, your God. Celebrate everything that you and your families have accomplished under the blessing of God, your God.
8-10 Don’t continue doing things the way we’re doing them at present, each of us doing as we wish. Until now you haven’t arrived at the goal, the resting place, the inheritance that God, your God, is giving you. But the minute you cross the Jordan River and settle into the land God, your God, is enabling you to inherit, he’ll give you rest from all your surrounding enemies. You’ll be able to settle down and live in safety.
11-12 From then on, at the place that God, your God, chooses to mark with his name as the place where you can meet him, bring everything that I command you: your Absolution-Offerings and sacrifices, tithes and Tribute-Offerings, and the best of your Vow-Offerings that you vow to God. Celebrate there in the Presence of God, your God, you and your sons and daughters, your servants and maids, including the Levite living in your neighborhood because he has no place of his own in your inheritance.
13-14 Be extra careful: Don’t offer your Absolution-Offerings just any place that strikes your fancy. Offer your Absolution-Offerings only in the place that God chooses in one of your tribal regions. There and only there are you to bring all that I command you.
15 It’s permissible to slaughter your nonsacrificial animals like gazelle and deer in your towns and eat all you want from them with the blessing of God, your God. Both the ritually clean and unclean may eat.
16-18 But you may not eat the blood. Pour the blood out on the ground like water. Nor may you eat there the tithe of your grain, new wine, or olive oil; nor the firstborn of your herds and flocks; nor any of the Vow-Offerings that you vow; nor your Freewill-Offerings and Tribute-Offerings. All these you must eat in the Presence of God, your God, in the place God, your God, chooses—you, your son and daughter, your servant and maid, and the Levite who lives in your neighborhood. You are to celebrate in the Presence of God, your God, all the things you’ve been able to accomplish.
19 And make sure that for as long as you live on your land you never, never neglect the Levite.
20-22 When God, your God, expands your territory as he promised he would do, and you say, “I’m hungry for meat,” because you happen to be craving meat at the time, go ahead and eat as much meat as you want. If you’re too far away from the place that God, your God, has marked with his name, it’s all right to slaughter animals from your herds and flocks that God has given you, as I’ve commanded you. In your own towns you may eat as much of them as you want. Just as the nonsacrificial animals like the gazelle and deer are eaten, you may eat them; the ritually unclean and clean may eat them at the same table.
23-25 Only this: Absolutely no blood. Don’t eat the blood. Blood is life; don’t eat the life with the meat. Don’t eat it; pour it out on the ground like water. Don’t eat it; then you’ll have a good life, you and your children after you. By all means, do the right thing in God’s eyes.
26-27 And this: Lift high your Holy-Offerings and your Vow-Offerings and bring them to the place God designates. Sacrifice your Absolution-Offerings, the meat and blood, on the Altar of God, your God; pour out the blood of the Absolution-Offering on the Altar of God, your God; then you can go ahead and eat the meat.
28 Be vigilant, listen obediently to these words that I command you so that you’ll have a good life, you and your children, for a long, long time, doing what is good and right in the eyes of God, your God.
29-31 When God, your God, cuts off the nations whose land you are invading, shoves them out of your way so that you displace them and settle in their land, be careful that you don’t get curious about them after they’ve been destroyed before you. Don’t get fascinated with their gods, thinking, “I wonder what it was like for them, worshiping their gods. I’d like to try that myself.” Don’t do this to God, your God. They commit every imaginable abomination with their gods. God hates it all with a passion. Why, they even set their children on fire as offerings to their gods!
32 Diligently do everything I command you, the way I command you: don’t add to it; don’t subtract from it.
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Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson