Deuteronomy 12:8-18

8 "You shall not do at all what we are doing here today, every man doing whatever is right in his own eyes;
9 for you have not as yet come to 1the resting place and the 2inheritance 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 to inherit, and 3He gives you rest from all your enemies around you so that you live in security,
11 4then it shall come about that the place in which the LORD your God will choose for His name to dwell, there you shall bring all that I command you: your burnt offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes and the contribution of your hand, and all your choice votive offerings which you will vow to the LORD.
12 "And you shall 5rejoice before the LORD your God, you and your sons and daughters, your male and female servants *, and the 6Levite who is within your gates, since 7he has no portion or inheritance with you.
13 "8Be careful that you do not offer your burnt offerings in every cultic place you see,
14 but in the place which the LORD chooses in one of your tribes, there you shall offer your burnt offerings, and there you shall do all that I command you.
15 "9However, 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 may eat of it, as of 10the gazelle and the deer.
16 "11Only you shall not eat the blood; 12you are to pour it out on the ground like water.
17 "13You are not allowed to eat within your gates the tithe of your grain or new wine or oil, or the firstborn of your herd or flock, or any of your votive offerings which you vow, or your freewill offerings, or the contribution of your hand.
18 "But 14you shall eat them before the LORD your God in 15the place which the LORD your God will choose, you and your son and daughter, and your male and female servants *, and the 16Levite who is within your gates; and you shall 17rejoice before the LORD your God in all your undertakings.

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.

Cross References 17

  • 1. Deuteronomy 3:20; Deuteronomy 25:19; Psalms 95:11
  • 2. Deuteronomy 4:21
  • 3. Joshua 11:23
  • 4. Deuteronomy 12:5; Deuteronomy 15:20; Deuteronomy 16:2; Deuteronomy 17:8; Deuteronomy 18:6
  • 5. Deuteronomy 12:7
  • 6. Deuteronomy 12:18, 19; Deuteronomy 26:11-13
  • 7. Deuteronomy 10:9; Deuteronomy 14:29
  • 8. Deuteronomy 12:5, 11
  • 9. Deuteronomy 12:20-23
  • 10. Deuteronomy 12:22; Deuteronomy 14:5; Deuteronomy 15:22
  • 11. Genesis 9:4; Leviticus 7:26; Leviticus 17:10-12; 1 Samuel 14:33; Acts 15:20, 29
  • 12. Deuteronomy 15:23
  • 13. Deuteronomy 12:26
  • 14. Deuteronomy 14:23
  • 15. Deuteronomy 12:5
  • 16. Deuteronomy 12:12
  • 17. Deuteronomy 12:7; Ecclesiastes 3:12; Ecclesiastes 5:18-20

Footnotes 4

  • [a]. Or "heave offering"
  • [b]. Lit "in every desire of your soul"
  • [c]. Lit "heave offering"
  • [d]. Lit "the putting forth of your hand"
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