Deuteronomy 12:7

7 And 1there you shall eat before the LORD your God, and 2you shall rejoice, you and your households, in all that you undertake, in which the LORD your God has blessed you.

Deuteronomy 12:7 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 12:7

And there ye shall eat before the Lord your God
The priests and the Levites, what was their portion, so Aben Ezra; but the people also are included, and by what follows seem chiefly designed, who were to eat their part of the sacrifices, particularly of the tithes and peace offerings, in the holy place that should be chosen and appointed; see ( Deuteronomy 14:22 Deuteronomy 14:23 Deuteronomy 14:27 )

and ye shall rejoice in all that ye put your hand unto;
in all the labours of their hands, and what they got thereby, which they were cheerfully to enjoy, and express their thankfulness for it in this way; see ( Ecclesiastes 5:18 Ecclesiastes 5:19 )

ye and your households;
their wives, sons, daughters, men and maid servants; yea, with them Levites, strangers, fatherless, and widows, were to partake of some of their freewill offerings, ( Deuteronomy 16:10 Deuteronomy 16:11 )

wherein the Lord thy God hath blessed thee;
and these offerings were eucharistical, and by way of thanksgiving for the blessing of God upon their labours, for it is that which maketh rich, ( Proverbs 10:22 ) .

Deuteronomy 12:7 In-Context

5 But you shall seek the place that the LORD your God will choose out of all your tribes to put his name and make his habitation there. There you shall go,
6 and there you shall bring your burnt offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes and the contribution that you present, your vow offerings, your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herd and of your flock.
7 And there you shall eat before the LORD your God, and you shall rejoice, you and your households, in all that you undertake, in which the LORD your God has blessed you.
8 "You shall not do according to all that we are doing here today, everyone doing whatever is right in his own eyes,
9 for you have not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance that the LORD your God is giving you.

Cross References 2

  • 1. Deuteronomy 14:23, 26; Deuteronomy 15:20
  • 2. Deuteronomy 14:26; Deuteronomy 16:11, 14, 15; Deuteronomy 26:11; Deuteronomy 27:7; Deuteronomy 28:8; Leviticus 23:40
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.