Deuteronomy 12:5-11

5 "¹But you shall seek the LORD at the place which the LORD your God will choose from all your tribes, to establish His name there for His dwelling, and there you shall come.

6 "There you shall bring your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, ²your tithes, the contribution of your hand, your votive offerings, your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herd and of your flock.

7 "There also you and your households shall eat before the LORD your God, and ³rejoice in all your undertakings in which the LORD your God has blessed you.

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 ⁴the resting place and the ⁵inheritance 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 ⁶He gives you rest from all your enemies around you so that you live in security,

11 ⁷then 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.

Deuteronomy 12:5-11 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. Exodus 20:24; Deuteronomy 12:11, 13; 2 Chronicles 7:12; Psalms 78:68
• 2. Deuteronomy 14:22
• 3. Leviticus 23:40; Deuteronomy 12:12, 18; Deuteronomy 14:26; Deuteronomy 28:47; Ecclesiastes 3:12, 13; Ecclesiastes 5:18-20
• 4. Deuteronomy 3:20; Deuteronomy 25:19; Psalms 95:11
• 5. Deuteronomy 4:21
• 6. Joshua 11:23
• 7. Deuteronomy 12:5; Deuteronomy 15:20; Deuteronomy 16:2; Deuteronomy 17:8; Deuteronomy 18:6

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "heave offering"
• [b]. Lit "the putting forth of your hand"
• [c]. Or "heave offering"