Deuteronomy12
New American Standard
1“These are the statutes and the judgments which you shall carefully follow in the land which the Lord, the God of your fathers, has given you to possess as long as you live on the earth.
2You shall utterly destroy all the places where the nations whom you are going to dispossess serve their gods, on the high mountains, on the hills, and under every leafy tree.
3And you shall tear down their altars and smash their memorial stones to pieces, and burn their Asherim in the fire, and cut to pieces the carved images of their gods; and you shall eliminate their name from that place.
4You shall not act this way toward the Lord your God.
5But 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.
6You shall bring there your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the contribution of your hand, your vowed offerings, your voluntary offerings, and the firstborn of your herd and of your flock.
7There you and your households shall eat before the Lord your God, and rejoice in all your undertakings in which the Lord your God has blessed you.
8“You shall not do at all what we are doing here today, everyone doing whatever is right in his own eyes;
9for you have not as yet come to the resting place and the inheritance which the Lord your God is giving you.
10When you cross the Jordan and live in the land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, and He gives you rest from all your enemies around you so that you live in security,
11then 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 contribution of your hand, and all your choice vowed offerings which you will vow to the Lord.
12And you shall rejoice before the Lord your God, you and your sons and daughters, your male and female slaves, and the Levite who is within your gates, since he has no portion or inheritance with you.
13“Be careful that you do not offer your burnt offerings in any cultic place that you see,
14but 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“However, you may slaughter and eat meat within any of your gates, 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 the gazelle and the deer.
16Only you shall not eat the blood; you are to pour it out on the ground like water.
17You 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 voluntary offerings, or the contribution of your hand.
18But you shall eat them before the Lord your God in the place which the Lord your God will choose, you and your son and daughter, and your male and female slaves, and the Levite who is within your gates; and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God in all your undertakings.
19Be careful that you do not abandon the Levite as long as you live in your land.
20“When the Lord your God extends your border as He has promised you, and you say, ‘I will eat meat,’ because you desire to eat meat, then you may eat meat, whatever you desire.
21If 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 whatever you desire.
22Just as a gazelle or a deer is eaten, so you may eat it; the unclean and the clean alike may eat it.
23Only be sure not to eat the blood, for the blood is the life, and you shall not eat the life with the flesh.
24You shall not eat it; you shall pour it out on the ground like water.
25You shall not eat it, so that it may go well for you and your sons after you, since you will be doing what is right in the sight of the Lord.
26Only your holy things which you may have and your vowed offerings, you shall take and go to the place which the Lord chooses.
27And 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 you shall eat the flesh.
28“Be careful and listen to all these words which I am commanding you, so that 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 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,
30be careful that you are not ensnared 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?’
31You 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 they even burn their sons and daughters in the fire for their gods.
32“Whatever I command you, you shall be careful to do; you shall not add to nor take anything away from it.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Deuteronomy 12.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Monuments of idolatry to be destroyed. (1–4). The place of God's service to be kept. (5–32).
vv1-4
Moses comes to the statutes he had to give in charge to Israel; and begins with such as relate to the worship of God. The Israelites are charged not to bring the rites and usages of idolaters into the worship of God; not under colour of making it better. We cannot serve God and mammon; nor worship the true God and idols; nor depend upon Christ Jesus and upon superstitious or self-righteous confidences.
vv5-32
The command to bring ALL the sacrifices to the door of the tabernacle, was now explained with reference to the promised land. As to moral service, then, as now, men might pray and worship every where, as they did in their synagogues. The place which God would choose, is said to be the place where he would put his name. It was to be his habitation, where, as King of Israel, he would be found by all who reverently sought him. Now, under the gospel, we have no temple or altar that sanctifies the gift but Christ only: and as to the places of worship, the prophets foretold that in every place the spiritual incense should be offered, Mal 1:11. Our Saviour declared, that those are accepted as true worshippers, who worship God in sincerity and truth, without regard either to this mountain or Jerusalem, Joh 4:21. And a devout Israelite might honour God, keep up communion with him, and obtain mercy from him, though he had no opportunity of bringing a sacrifice to his altar. Work for God should be done with holy joy and cheerfulness. Even children and servants must rejoice before God; the services of religion are to be a pleasure, and not a task or drudgery. It is the duty of people to be kind to their ministers, who teach them well, and set them good examples. As long as we live, we need their assistance, till we come to that world where ordinances will not be needed. Whether we eat or drink, or whatever we do, we are commanded to do all to the glory of God. And we must do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to the Father through him. They must not even inquire into the modes and forms of idolatrous worship. What good would it do them to know those depths of Satan? And our inward satisfaction will be more and more, as we abound in love and good works, which spring from faith and the in-dwelling Spirit of Christ.
Key Words
אֵלֶּה: these or those
חֹק: an enactment; hence, an appointment (of time, space, quantity, labor or usage)
מִשְׁפָּט: properly, a verdict (favorable or unfavorable) pronounced judicially, especially a sentence or formal decree (human or (participant's) divine law, individual or collective), including the act, the place, the suit, the crime, and the penalty; abstractly, justice, including a participant's right or privilege (statutory or customary), or even a style
אֲשֶׁר: who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.
שָׁמַר: properly, to hedge about (as with thorns), i.e. guard; generally, to protect, attend to, etc.
עָשָׂה: to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application
אֶרֶץ: the earth (at large, or partitively a land)
אֱלֹהִים: gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative
אָב: father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application
נָתַן: to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)
Cross References
Deuteronomy 12Contrast with the wilderness rule requiring all domestic animals to be killed as peace offerings at the tabernacle.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Jesus contrasts the Old Testament chosen place with spiritual worship under the New Covenant.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Echoes the warning against everyone doing 'whatsoever is right in his own eyes' during chaotic periods.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The foundational, universal prohibition against eating meat with its lifeblood, established with Noah.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The first major historic fulfillment where the tabernacle was set up at Shiloh.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Solomon's temple dedicated as the permanent place chosen by God to put His name.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Establishes the central theme of a single chosen sanctuary where God puts His name.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Explicit theological grounding: the life of the flesh is in the blood, given for atonement.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Parallels the absolute prohibition against adding to or taking away from God's commands.
Supported by John Calvin
Indicts Israel for later adopting pagan worship under green trees and on mountains.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Reiterates the obligation to care for the landless Levites within Israel's gates.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Lists child sacrifice via fire as a chief abomination of Canaanite religion.
Supported by John Calvin
Internal chapter parallel emphasizing joyful, communal sacred meals at the chosen place.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The Apostolic Decree continues the abstinence from blood for New Testament Gentile believers.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Repeats the promise of long-term blessing for doing what is right in God's eyes.
Supported by John Calvin