Deuteronomy 12:2-14

2You will chase out the nations who live there. Then you must destroy completely all the places where those people worship their gods. Those places are on the tops of mountains and hills, and under big green trees.

3You must break into pieces their altars and stone pillars. Burn their Asherah poles. Knock down the images of their gods. Destroy those places so that nobody remembers the false gods.

4Do not worship the Lord your God in the same way that those people worship their gods.

5The Lord will choose one place from the land where all your tribes live. That is the place where people must go to worship him. That is his special home.

6That is where you must take your burnt offerings and other sacrifices to offer to the Lord. Take your tithes and offerings to him there. Take the gifts that you have promised to give, and the gifts that you choose to give. Take the firstborn animals from your cows, sheep and goats.

7You and your families will go there to meet with the Lord your God. You will be happy as you eat together there. You will enjoy the results of all your work, because the Lord has blessed you.

8At this time, all of you now do what you think is right. But when you are in the land, you must worship God in a different way.

9You have not yet reached the place where you can rest. That is in the land that the Lord your God is giving to you as your home.

10But when you go across the Jordan River, that land will become your home. The Lord will protect you from all the enemies who are around you. You will live safely.

11At that time, the Lord your God will choose one special place for his people to worship him. You must take there everything that I have told you. Take your burnt offerings and other sacrifices to offer to the Lord. Take your tithes and special offerings. Take the special gifts that you have promised to give to him. Take everything to the place that God will choose.

12Go there to enjoy time with the Lord your God. Take with you your children and your servants. Also take with you the Levites who live in your towns. Remember that they have not received any land for themselves, as you have.

13So be careful! Do not offer your burnt offerings in any place that you choose for yourself.

14Only make offerings to the Lord in the place that he chooses. That will be in the land that belongs to one of your tribes. It is the place where you must do all the things that I am commanding you to do.