Deuteronomy 12

1TheseH428 are the statutesH2706 and ordinancesH4941 you must be carefulH8104 to followH6213 allH3605 the daysH3117 youH859 liveH2416 in the landH776 thatH834 the LORDH3068, the GodH430 of your fathersH1, has givenH5414 you to possessH3423.

2Destroy completelyH6 allH3605 the placesH4725 whereH834 the nationsH1471 youH859 are dispossessingH3423 have servedH5647H8033 their godsH430—atopH5921 the highH7311 mountainsH2022, onH5921 the hillsH1389, and underH8478 everyH3605 greenH7488 treeH6086. 3Tear downH5422 their altarsH4196, smashH7665 their sacred pillarsH4676, burn upH8313H784 their Asherah polesH842, cut downH1438 the idolsH6456 of their godsH430, and wipe outH6 their namesH8034 fromH4480 every placeH4725H1931. 4You shall notH3808 worshipH6213 the LORDH3068 your GodH430 in this wayH3651.

5InsteadH3588H518, you must seekH1875 the placeH4725 the LORDH3068 your GodH430 will chooseH977 from among allH3605 your tribesH7626 to establishH7760 as a dwellingH7931 for His NameH8034, and thereH8033 you must goH935. 6To that placeH8033 you are to bringH935 your burnt offeringsH5930 and sacrificesH2077, your tithesH4643 and heave offeringsH8641H3027, your vow offeringsH5088 and freewill offeringsH5071, as well as the firstbornH1060 of your herdsH1241 and flocksH6629. 7ThereH8033, in the presenceH6440 of the LORDH3068 your GodH430, you and your householdsH1004 shall eatH398 and rejoiceH8055 in allH3605 you doH4916H3027H859, becauseH834 the LORDH3068 your GodH430 has blessed youH1288.

8You are notH3808 to doH6213 asH3605 weH587 are doingH6213 hereH6311 todayH3117, where everyoneH376 does whatH3605 seems rightH3477 in his own eyesH5869. 9ForH3588 you have notH3808 yetH5704 comeH935H6258 toH413 the resting placeH4496H413 and the inheritanceH5159 thatH834 the LORDH3068 your GodH430 is givingH5414 you.

10When you crossH5674 the JordanH3383 and liveH3427 in the landH776 thatH834 the LORDH3068 your GodH430 is giving you as an inheritanceH5157, and He gives you restH5117 from allH3605 the enemiesH341 around youH5439 and you dwellH3427 securelyH983, 11then the LORDH3068 your GodH430 will chooseH977 a dwellingH7931 for His NameH8034. And thereH8033 you are to bringH935 everythingH3605 IH595 command youH6680: your burnt offeringsH5930 and sacrificesH2077, your tithesH4643 and special giftsH8641H3027, and allH3605 the choiceH4005 offeringsH5088 you vowH5087 to the LORDH3068. 12And you shall rejoiceH8055 beforeH6440 the LORDH3068 your GodH430—youH859, your sonsH1121 and daughtersH1323, your menservantsH5650 and maidservantsH519, and the LeviteH3881 within your gatesH8179, sinceH3588 he has noH369 portionH2506 or inheritanceH5159 among youH854.

13Be carefulH8104 notH6435 to offerH5927 your burnt offeringsH5930 in just anyH3605 placeH4725 you seeH7200; 14you must offerH5927 them onlyH3588H518 in the placeH4725 the LORDH3068 will chooseH977 in oneH259 of your tribal territoriesH7626, and thereH8033 you shall doH6213 allH3605 thatH834 IH595 command youH6680.

15ButH7535 wheneverH3605 youH5315 wantH185, you may slaughterH2076 and eatH398 meatH1320 within anyH3605 of your gatesH8179, according to the blessingH1293 the LORDH3068 your GodH430 has givenH5414 you. Both the ceremonially cleanH2889 and uncleanH2931 may eat itH398 as they would a gazelleH6643 or deerH354, 16butH7535 you must notH3808 eatH398 the bloodH1818; pourH8210 it onH5921 the groundH776 like waterH4325.

17Within your gatesH8179 you mustH3201 notH3808 eatH398 the titheH4643 of your grainH1715 or new wineH8492 or oilH3323, the firstbornH1060 of your herdsH1241 or flocksH6629, anyH3605 of the offeringsH5088 thatH834 you have vowed to giveH5087, or your freewill offeringsH5071H3027 or special giftsH8641. 18InsteadH3588H518, you must eat themH398 in the presenceH6440 of the LORDH3068 your GodH430 at the placeH4725 the LORDH3068 your GodH430 will chooseH977—youH859, your sonsH1121 and daughtersH1323, your menservantsH5650 and maidservantsH519, and the LeviteH3881 within your gatesH8179. RejoiceH8055 beforeH6440 the LORDH3068 your GodH430 in allH3605 you doH4916H3027, 19and be carefulH8104 notH6435 to neglectH5800 the LevitesH3881 asH3605H3117 long as you live inH5921 your landH127.

20WhenH3588 the LORDH3068 your GodH430 expandsH7337 your territoryH1366 asH834 He has promisedH1696, and youH5315 craveH183H398 meatH1320 and sayH559, “I want to eatH398 meatH1320,” you may eatH398 itH1320 wheneverH3605 youH5315 wantH185. 21IfH3588 the placeH4725 whereH834 the LORDH3068 your GodH430 choosesH977 to putH7760 His NameH8034H8033 is too farH7368 from youH4480, then you may slaughterH2076 any of the herdH1241 or flockH6629 HeH3068 has givenH5414 you, asH834 I have commanded youH6680, and you may eatH398 it within your gatesH8179 wheneverH3605 youH5315 wantH185. 22IndeedH389, you may eatH398 it asH834 you would eatH398 a gazelleH6643 or deerH354H3651; bothH3162 the ceremonially uncleanH2931 and the cleanH2889 may eat itH398. 23OnlyH7535 be sureH2388 notH1115 to eatH398 the bloodH1818, becauseH3588 the bloodH1818 isH1931 the lifeH5315, and you must notH3808 eatH398 the lifeH5315 withH5973 the meatH1320. 24You must not eatH3808H398 the blood; pourH8210 it onH5921 the groundH776 like waterH4325. 25Do notH3808 eat itH398, so thatH4616 it may go wellH3190 with you and your childrenH1121 after youH310, becauseH3588 you will be doingH6213 what is rightH3477 in the eyesH5869 of the LORDH3068.

26ButH7535 you are to takeH5375 your holy thingsH6944 and your vow offeringsH5088 and goH935 toH413 the placeH4725 the LORDH3068 will chooseH977. 27PresentH6213 the meatH1320 and bloodH1818 of your burnt offeringsH5930 onH5921 the altarH4196 of the LORDH3068 your GodH430. The bloodH1818 of your other sacrificesH2077 must be poured outH8210 besideH5921 the altarH4196 of the LORDH3068 your GodH430, but you may eatH398 the meatH1320. 28Be carefulH8104 to obeyH8085 allH3605 theseH428 thingsH1697 IH595 command youH6680, so thatH4616 it may always go wellH3190H5704H5769 with you and your childrenH1121 after youH310, becauseH3588 you will be doingH6213 what is goodH2896 and rightH3477 in the eyesH5869 of the LORDH3068 your GodH430.

A Warning against Idolatry

(Deuteronomy 4:15–31; Ezekiel 6:1–7)

29WhenH3588 the LORDH3068 your GodH430 cuts offH3772 before youH6440 the nationsH1471 youH859 are enteringH935H8033 to dispossessH3423, and you drive them outH3423 and liveH3427 in their landH776, 30be carefulH8104 notH6435 to be ensnaredH5367 by their waysH310 afterH310 they have been destroyedH8045 before youH6440. Do notH6435 inquireH1875 about their godsH430, askingH559, “HowH349 do theseH428 nationsH1471 serveH5647 their godsH430? I willH589 doH6213 likewiseH3651H1571.”

31You must notH3808 worship the LORDH3068 your GodH430 in this wayH3651, becauseH3588 they practiceH6213 for their godsH430 everyH3605 abominationH8441 whichH834 the LORDH3068 hatesH8130. They evenH3588H1571 burnH8313 their sonsH1121 and daughtersH1323 in the fireH784 as sacrifices to their godsH430.

32See that you doH853H8104 everythingH3605H1697 IH595 command youH6680; do notH3808 addH3254 to itH5921H3808 or subtractH1639 from itH4480.