Deuteronomy 12:27-32

27 Present your burnt offerings on the altar of the LORD your God, both the meat and the blood. The blood of your sacrifices must be poured beside the altar of the LORD your God, but you may eat the meat.
28 Be careful to obey all these regulations I am giving you, so that it may always go well with you and your children after you, because you will be doing what is good and right in the eyes of the LORD your God.
29 The LORD your God will cut off before you the nations you are about to invade and dispossess. But when you have driven them out and settled in their land,
30 and after they have been destroyed before you, be careful not to be ensnared by inquiring about their gods, saying, “How do these nations serve their gods? We will do the same.”
31 You must not worship the LORD your God in their way, because in worshiping their gods, they do all kinds of detestable things the LORD hates. They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire as sacrifices to their gods.
32 See that you do all I command you; do not add to it or take away from it.[a]

Deuteronomy 12:27-32 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 11

  • 1. S Leviticus 1:13; Lev 1:5,9,13
  • 2. Leviticus 3:1-17
  • 3. ver 25; Deuteronomy 4:40; Ecclesiastes 8:12
  • 4. Joshua 23:4
  • 5. S Deuteronomy 6:10
  • 6. S Exodus 10:7
  • 7. S ver 4
  • 8. S Leviticus 18:25; Deuteronomy 9:5
  • 9. S Leviticus 18:21; Deuteronomy 18:10; Jeremiah 32:35
  • 10. S 2 Kings 3:27
  • 11. S Deuteronomy 4:2; Joshua 1:7; Revelation 22:18-19

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. In Hebrew texts this verse (12:32) is numbered 13:1.
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