Deuteronomy 12:8

8 You shall not at all do as we are doing here today--every man doing whatever is right in his own eyes--

Deuteronomy 12:8 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 12:8

Ye shall not do after all the things that we do here
In the wilderness, where they had no abiding, but were continually removing from place to place, and could not always observe punctually and precisely the exact order and time of their sacrifices and other things, nor offer them at any certain place, and many were doubtless neglected by them; see ( Amos 5:25 )

every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes;
that did he, brought the above things when and where he pleased; not that there was no regard had to the laws and rules given, as if there was no priest in Israel; but they were not so exactly in all circumstances conformed to as they would be obliged to when they came into the land of Canaan, and had a certain place to bring their offerings to; so some in Aben Ezra observe, that one would give the firstling, another not, because it depended on the land, or was what they were obliged to only when they came into the land of Canaan; see ( Exodus 13:11 ) but he thinks the sense is, that they did not all fear God, and so did not do their duty.

Deuteronomy 12:8 In-Context

6 There you shall take your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the heave offerings of your hand, your vowed offerings, your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks.
7 And there you shall eat before the Lord your God, and you shall rejoice in all to which you have put your hand, you and your households, in which the Lord your God has blessed you.
8 You shall not at all do as we are doing here today--every man doing whatever is right in his own eyes--
9 for as yet you have not come to the rest and the inheritance which the Lord your God is giving you.
10 But when you cross over the Jordan and dwell in the land which the Lord your God is giving you to inherit, and He gives you rest from all your enemies round about, so that you dwell in safety,
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.