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Deuteronomy 12:8-18

Listen to Deuteronomy 12:8-18
8 “You shall not do according to all that we are doing here today, 1everyone doing whatever is right in his own eyes,
9 for you have not as yet come to 2the rest and to the inheritance that the Lord your God is giving you.
10 But when 3you go over the Jordan and live in the land that the Lord your God is giving you to inherit, 4and when he gives you rest from all your enemies around, so that you live in safety,
11 then to 5the place that the Lord your God will choose, to make his name dwell there, there you shall bring all that I command you: your burnt offerings and your sacrifices, 6your tithes and the contribution that you present, and all your finest vow offerings that you vow to the Lord.
12 And 7you shall rejoice before the Lord your God, you and your sons and your daughters, your male servants and your female servants, and the Levite that is within your towns, since 8he has no portion or inheritance with you.
13 9Take care that you do not offer your burnt offerings at any place that you see,
14 but at 10the place that the Lord will choose in one of your tribes, there you shall offer your burnt offerings, and there you shall do all that I am commanding you.
15 “However, you may slaughter and eat meat within any of your towns, as much as you desire, 11according to the blessing of the Lord your God that he has given you. 12The unclean and the clean may eat of it, as of the gazelle and as of the deer.
16 13Only you shall not eat the blood; you shall pour it out on the earth like water.
17 You may not eat within your towns 14the tithe of your grain or of your wine or of your oil, or the firstborn of your herd or of your flock, or any of your vow offerings that you vow, or your freewill offerings or the contribution that you present,
18 but 15you shall eat them before the Lord your God in 16the place that the Lord your God will choose, you and your son and your daughter, your male servant and your female servant, and the Levite who is within your towns. And 17you shall rejoice before the Lord your God in all that you undertake.

Deuteronomy 12:8-18 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.

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Cross References 17

  • 1. 12:8 Judg. 17:6; 21:25
  • 2. 12:9 1 Kgs. 8:56; Ps. 95:11; [Heb. 4:8]
  • 3. 12:10 See ch. 11:31
  • 4. 12:10 ch. 25:19; Josh. 23:1; [2 Sam. 7:1; 1 Kgs. 5:4]
  • 5. 12:11 [See ver. 5 above]
  • 6. 12:11 [See ver. 6 above]
  • 7. 12:12 [See ver. 7 above]
  • 8. 12:12 See Num. 18:20
  • 9. 12:13 Lev. 17:3, 4; [1 Kgs. 12:28, 33]
  • 10. 12:14 [See ver. 5 above]
  • 11. 12:15 ch. 16:17
  • 12. 12:15 ch. 14:5; 15:22
  • 13. 12:16 See Lev. 3:17
  • 14. 12:17 [See ver. 6 above]
  • 15. 12:18 [See ver. 7 above]
  • 16. 12:18 [See ver. 5 above]
  • 17. 12:18 [See ver. 7 above]
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025

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