Deuteronomy 12:21-31

21 Yf the place which the Lorde thi God hath chosen to put his name there be to ferre from the, then thou mayst kylle of thi oxen and of thi shepe which the Lorde hath geuen the as I haue commaunded the and thou mayst eate in thine awne citie what soeuer thi soule lusteth.

22 Neuer the later, as the roo and the herte is eaten, euen so thou shalt eate it: the vncleane and the cleane indifferently thou shalt eate.

23 But be strong that thou eate not the bloude. For the bloude, that is the lyfe: and thou mayst not eate the life with the flesh:

24 thou maist not eate it: but must power it vppo the erth as water.

25 Se thou eate it not therfore that it maye goo well with the and with thy childern after the, when thou shalt haue done that whyche is ryghte in the syghte off the Lorde.

26 But thy holye thinges which thou hast and thy vowes, thou shalt take and go vnto the place which the Lorde hath chosen,

27 and thou shalt offer thy burntoffrynges, both flesh ad bloude apon the alter of the Lorde thy God, and the bloude of thine offrynges thou shalt poure out vppon the alter of the Lorde thy God, and shalt eate the flesh.

28 Take hede and heare all these wordes which I commaunde the that it maye goo well with the and with thy children after the for euer, whe thou doest that whiche is good and right in the sighte of the Lorde thy God.

29 When the Lorde thy God hath destroyed the nacions before the, whother thou goest to conquere them, and when thou hast conquered them, and dwelt in their landes:

30 Bewarre that thou be not taken in a snare after the, after that they be destroyed before the, and that thou axenot after their goddes saynge: how dyd these nacyons serue their goddes, that I maye doo so likewyse?

31 Nay, thou shalt not doo so vnto the Lorde thy God: for all abhominacyons which the Lorde hated dyd they vnto their goddes. For they burnt both their sonnes ad their doughters with fire vnto their goddes.

Deuteronomy 12:21-31 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.