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Regulations and the case laws:

Worship at the location the Lord selects

12 These are the regulations and the case laws that you must carefully keep in the fertile land the Lord, your ancestors’ God, has given to you to possess for as long as you live on that land:

You must completely destroy every place where the nations that you are displacing worshipped their gods—whether on high mountains or hills or under leafy green trees. Rip down their altars and shatter their sacred stones. Burn their sacred poles[a] with fire. Hack their gods’ idols into pieces. Wipe out their names from that place.

Don’t act like they did toward the Lord your God!

Instead, you must search for the location the Lord your God will select from all your tribes to put his name there, as his residence, and you must go there. You must bring your entirely burned offerings, your sacrifices, your tenth-part gifts, your contributions,[b] your payments for solemn promises, your spontaneous gifts, and the oldest offspring of your herds and flocks to that place. You will have a feast there, each of you and your families, in the Lord your God’s presence, and you will celebrate all you have done because the Lord your God has blessed you. Don’t act like we’ve been acting here lately—everyone doing what seems right to them— because up to this point you haven’t yet reached the place of rest or the inheritance the Lord your God is giving you. 10 But you are about to cross the Jordan River and will settle in the land the Lord your God is giving you as your inheritance. Then he will give you rest from all your enemies on every side so that you live safely and securely. 11 At that point, you must bring all that I am commanding you, your entirely burned offerings, your sacrifices, your tenth-part gifts, your contributions, and all your best payments that you solemnly promised to the Lord, to the location the Lord your God selects for his name to reside. 12 Then you will rejoice in the Lord your God’s presence: each of you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levites who dwell in your cities because they have no designated inheritance.

13 But watch yourself! Make sure you don’t offer up your entirely burned offerings in just any place you see. 14 No, only at the location the Lord selects from one of your tribal areas—that’s where you must offer up your entirely burned offerings and that’s where you must perform everything I’m telling you. 15 However, whenever you wish, you may slaughter and eat meat, as the Lord your God sees fit to bless you with such in your cities. People who are polluted and people who are purified can join in the feast, as they would if they were eating gazelle or deer. 16 But you must not consume any of the animals’ blood. Pour it out on the ground, just like water.

17 Within your cities you are not allowed to eat any of the following: your tenth-part gifts of grain, wine, and oil; the oldest offspring of your herds and flocks; any of the payments you have solemnly promised; your spontaneous gifts or your contributions. 18 Only in the presence of the Lord your God, at the location the Lord your God selects, can you eat these things—that holds true for you, your son and daughter, your male and female servant, and the Levite who lives in your city. Then celebrate all you have done in the Lord your God’s presence. 19 But watch yourself: as long as you are on the land, don’t forget about the Levites.

20 Once the Lord your God has enlarged your territory, as he promised you, and you think to yourself, I’d like to eat some meat (because you have the desire to do so), feel free to do so whenever you want. 21 But if the location that the Lord your God will choose to put his name is far away from where you live, then slaughter an animal from your herd or flock that the Lord has given you, just as I have commanded you, and eat it in your cities whenever you wish. 22 But be sure to eat it as if it were gazelle or deer. People who are polluted and people who are purified can feast on it together.

23 Furthermore, make sure that you don’t consume any of the blood, because blood is life. You must not consume the life along with the meat. 24 You must not consume any of it. Pour it out on the ground, just like water. 25 You must not consume any of it so that things go well for you and for your children later because you did what was right in the Lord’s eyes.

26 Note that you must bring your sacred offerings and your payments for solemn promises to the location the Lord selects, 27 offering up your entirely burned sacrifices—both meat and blood—on the Lord your God’s altar. The blood from your sacrifices must be poured out on the Lord your God’s altar, but you are allowed to eat the meat. 28 Observe and obey all these words that I am commanding you so that things always go well for you and your children later because you did what was good and right in the Lord your God’s eyes.

29 Once the Lord your God has removed from before you all the nations that you are entering and taking possession of, and you have displaced them and are living in their land, 30 then watch yourself! Don’t be trapped by following their practices after they’ve been wiped out before you. Don’t go investigating their gods, thinking, How did these nations worship their gods? I want to do the very same thing!

31 Don’t act like they did toward the Lord your God because they did things for their gods that are detestable to the Lord, which he hates. They even burned their own sons and daughters with fire for their gods!

32 [c] Everything I’m commanding you, you must do it with utmost care! Don’t add anything to it or take anything away from it.

Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 12:3 Heb asherim, perhaps objects devoted to the goddess Asherah
  2. Deuteronomy 12:6 Or the contribution of your hands; also in 12:11, 17
  3. Deuteronomy 12:32 13:1 in Heb

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.

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. 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. 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. You shall not act this way 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 you shall come there. 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. 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.

“You shall not do at all what we are doing here today, (H)everyone doing whatever is right in his own eyes; 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

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