Deuteronomy 12:1-6

1 These be the behests and dooms (These be the statutes and laws, or judgements), which ye ought to do, in the land which the Lord God of thy fathers shall give to thee, that thou wield it, in all (the) days in which thou shalt go upon [the] earth.
2 Destroy ye all the places wherein [the] heathen men which ye shall wield, worshipped their gods, on high mountains, and little hills, and under each tree full of boughs.
3 Destroy ye their altars, and break their images; and burn ye the (sacred) woods with fire, and all-break ye the idols; destroy ye their names from (all) the places.
4 Ye shall not do so to your Lord God; (Ye shall not worship the Lord your God in those ways;)
5 but ye shall come to the (one) place which your Lord God (shall) choose (out) of all your lineages, that he put his name there, and dwell therein;
6 and ye shall come thither, and offer in that place your burnt sacrifices, and slain sacrifices, the tithes, and first fruits of your hands, and avows, and gifts, and the first engendered things of your oxen, and of (your) sheep. (and ye shall come there, and offer in that place your burnt sacrifices, and slain sacrifices, your tithes, and the first fruits of your hands, and your vows, and gifts, and the first-born males of your oxen, and of your sheep.)

Deuteronomy 12:1-6 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.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.