Deuteronomy 12:1-4

Laws of the Sanctuary

1 "These are the statutes and the judgments which you shall carefully observe in the land which the LORD, the God of your fathers, has given you to possess 1as 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 2high mountains and on the hills and under every green tree.
3 "3You shall tear down their altars and smash their sacred pillars and burn their Asherim with fire, and you shall cut down the engraved images of their gods and 4obliterate their name from that place.
4 "You shall not act like this toward the LORD your God.

Deuteronomy 12:1-4 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 12

In this chapter orders are given to destroy all altars, pillars, groves, and images, made for the worship of idols in the land of Canaan, De 12:1-3 and to bring all sacrifices and holy things unto the place which the Lord should choose for his habitation, and not do as they then did, not being come to their rest, De 12:4-14, flesh for their common food might be killed and eaten in their own houses, provided they did not eat the blood, but poured it out upon the earth, De 12:15-25, tithes, vows, and freewill offerings, were to be eaten in the holy place, De 12:17-19 and burnt offerings to be offered on the altar of the Lord and the blood of them to be poured out upon the altar, De 12:26-28, all which they were carefully to observe, De 12:29, and they are cautioned against idolatry, and inquiring after the manner of it, as practised by the old inhabitants of the land, and introducing their customs into the service of God, De 12:30-32.

Cross References 4

  • 1. Deuteronomy 4:9, 10; 1 Kings 8:40
  • 2. 2 Kings 16:4; 2 Kings 17:10, 11
  • 3. Numbers 33:52; Deuteronomy 7:5; Judges 2:2
  • 4. Exodus 23:13; Psalms 16:4; Zechariah 13:2

Footnotes 3

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