Deuteronomy 12:7

7 And you shall eat there in the sight of the Lord your God: and you shall rejoice in all things, whereunto you shall put your hand, you and your houses wherein the Lord your God hath blessed you.

Deuteronomy 12:7 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 12:7

And there ye shall eat before the Lord your God
The priests and the Levites, what was their portion, so Aben Ezra; but the people also are included, and by what follows seem chiefly designed, who were to eat their part of the sacrifices, particularly of the tithes and peace offerings, in the holy place that should be chosen and appointed; see ( Deuteronomy 14:22 Deuteronomy 14:23 Deuteronomy 14:27 )

and ye shall rejoice in all that ye put your hand unto;
in all the labours of their hands, and what they got thereby, which they were cheerfully to enjoy, and express their thankfulness for it in this way; see ( Ecclesiastes 5:18 Ecclesiastes 5:19 )

ye and your households;
their wives, sons, daughters, men and maid servants; yea, with them Levites, strangers, fatherless, and widows, were to partake of some of their freewill offerings, ( Deuteronomy 16:10 Deuteronomy 16:11 )

wherein the Lord thy God hath blessed thee;
and these offerings were eucharistical, and by way of thanksgiving for the blessing of God upon their labours, for it is that which maketh rich, ( Proverbs 10:22 ) .

Deuteronomy 12:7 In-Context

5 But you shall come to the place, which the Lord your God shall choose out of all your tribes, to put his name there, and to dwell in it:
6 And you shall offer in that place your holocausts and victims, the tithes and firstfruits of your hands and your vows and gifts, the firstborn of your herds and your sheep.
7 And you shall eat there in the sight of the Lord your God: and you shall rejoice in all things, whereunto you shall put your hand, you and your houses wherein the Lord your God hath blessed you.
8 You shall not do there the things we do here this day, every man that which seemeth good to himself.
9 For until this present time you are not come to rest, and to the possession, which the Lord your God will give you.
The Douay-Rheims Bible is in the public domain.