Deuteronomy 12:11-21

11 ¹then 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 ²rejoice before the LORD your God, you and your sons and daughters, your male and female servants *, and the ³Levite who is within your gates, since ⁴he has no portion or inheritance with you.

13 "⁵Be 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 "⁶However, 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 ⁷the gazelle and the deer.

16 "⁸Only you shall not eat the blood; ⁹you are to pour it out on the ground like water.

17 "¹⁰You 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 ¹¹you shall eat them before the LORD your God in ¹²the place which the LORD your God will choose, you and your son and daughter, and your male and female servants *, and the ¹³Levite who is within your gates; and you shall ¹⁴rejoice before the LORD your God in all your undertakings.

19 "¹⁵Be careful that you do not forsake the Levite as long * as you live in your land.

20 "When the LORD your God extends your border ¹⁶as He has promised you, and you say, 'I will eat meat,' because you desire to eat meat, then you may eat meat, whatever you desire.

21 "If the place which the LORD your God chooses to put His name is too far from you, then you may slaughter of your herd and flock which the LORD has given you, as I have commanded you; and you may eat within your gates whatever you desire.

Deuteronomy 12:11-21 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

• 1. Deuteronomy 12:5; Deuteronomy 15:20; Deuteronomy 16:2; Deuteronomy 17:8; Deuteronomy 18:6
• 2. Deuteronomy 12:7
• 3. Deuteronomy 12:18, 19; Deuteronomy 26:11-13
• 4. Deuteronomy 10:9; Deuteronomy 14:29
• 5. Deuteronomy 12:5, 11
• 6. Deuteronomy 12:20-23
• 7. Deuteronomy 12:22; Deuteronomy 14:5; Deuteronomy 15:22
• 8. Genesis 9:4; Leviticus 7:26; Leviticus 17:10-12; 1 Samuel 14:33; Acts 15:20, 29
• 9. Deuteronomy 15:23
• 10. Deuteronomy 12:26
• 11. Deuteronomy 14:23
• 12. Deuteronomy 12:5
• 13. Deuteronomy 12:12
• 14. Deuteronomy 12:7; Ecclesiastes 3:12; Ecclesiastes 5:18-20
• 15. Deuteronomy 14:27
• 16. Genesis 15:18; Deuteronomy 11:24; Deuteronomy 19:8

Footnotes

• [a] Or "heave offering"
• [b] Lit "in every desire of your soul"
• [c] Lit "heave offering"
• [d] Lit "the putting forth of your hand"
• [e] Lit "all your days upon your land"
• [f] Lit "your soul desires"
• [g] Lit "in every desire of your soul"
• [h] Lit "in every desire of your soul"