Deuteronomy 12

King James Version

Full text for Deuteronomy Chapter 12

1¶ These [are] the statutes and judgments, which ye shall observe to do in the land, which the LORD God of thy fathers giveth thee to possess it, all the days that ye live upon the earth.

2Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations which ye shall possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree:

3And ye shall overthrow their altars, and break their pillars, and burn their groves with fire; and ye shall hew down the graven images of their gods, and destroy the names of them out of that place.

4Ye shall not do so unto the LORD your God.

5¶ But unto the place which the LORD your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, [even] unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come:

6And thither ye shall bring your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and heave offerings of your hand, and your vows, and your freewill offerings, and the firstlings of your herds and of your flocks:

7And there ye shall eat before the LORD your God, and ye shall rejoice in all that ye put your hand unto, ye and your households, wherein the LORD thy God hath blessed thee.

8Ye shall not do after all [the things] that we do here this day, every man whatsoever [is] right in his own eyes.

9For ye are not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance, which the LORD your God giveth you.

10But [when] ye go over Jordan, and dwell in the land which the LORD your God giveth you to inherit, and [when] he giveth you rest from all your enemies round about, so that ye dwell in safety;

11Then there shall be a place which the LORD your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell there; thither shall ye bring all that I command you; your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the heave offering of your hand, and all your choice vows which ye vow unto the LORD:

12And ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God, ye, and your sons, and your daughters, and your menservants, and your maidservants, and the Levite that [is] within your gates; forasmuch as he hath no part nor inheritance with you.

13Take heed to thyself that thou offer not thy burnt offerings in every place that thou seest:

14But in the place which the LORD shall choose in one of thy tribes, there thou shalt offer thy burnt offerings, and there thou shalt do all that I command thee.

15Notwithstanding thou mayest kill and eat flesh in all thy gates, whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee: the unclean and the clean may eat thereof, as of the roebuck, and as of the hart.

16Only ye shall not eat the blood; ye shall pour it upon the earth as water.

17Thou mayest not eat within thy gates the tithe of thy corn, or of thy wine, or of thy oil, or the firstlings of thy herds or of thy flock, nor any of thy vows which thou vowest, nor thy freewill offerings, or heave offering of thine hand:

18But thou must eat them before the LORD thy God in the place which the LORD thy God shall choose, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite that [is] within thy gates: and thou shalt rejoice before the LORD thy God in all that thou puttest thine hands unto.

19Take heed to thyself that thou forsake not the Levite as long as thou livest upon the earth.

20When the LORD thy God shall enlarge thy border, as he hath promised thee, and thou shalt say, I will eat flesh, because thy soul longeth to eat flesh; thou mayest eat flesh, whatsoever thy soul lusteth after.

21If the place which the LORD thy God hath chosen to put his name there be too far from thee, then thou shalt kill of thy herd and of thy flock, which the LORD hath given thee, as I have commanded thee, and thou shalt eat in thy gates whatsoever thy soul lusteth after.

22Even as the roebuck and the hart is eaten, so thou shalt eat them: the unclean and the clean shall eat [of] them alike.

23Only be sure that thou eat not the blood: for the blood [is] the life; and thou mayest not eat the life with the flesh.

24Thou shalt not eat it; thou shalt pour it upon the earth as water.

25Thou shalt not eat it; that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, when thou shalt do [that which is] right in the sight of the LORD.

26Only thy holy things which thou hast, and thy vows, thou shalt take, and go unto the place which the LORD shall choose:

27And thou shalt offer thy burnt offerings, the flesh and the blood, upon the altar of the LORD thy God: and the blood of thy sacrifices shall be poured out upon the altar of the LORD thy God, and thou shalt eat the flesh.

28Observe and hear all these words which I command thee, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee for ever, when thou doest [that which is] good and right in the sight of the LORD thy God.

29When the LORD thy God shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land;

30Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise.

31Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God: for every abomination to the LORD, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods.

32What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Deuteronomy 12 outlines the statutes for Israel upon entering the promised land, primarily commanding the destruction of all pagan worship sites and the establishment of a single, central place for the worship of the LORD. It specifies that all burnt offerings and major sacrifices must be brought to this chosen sanctuary. The chapter also distinguishes between sacrificial eating and common meat consumption, prohibiting the eating of blood in all instances, and warns against adopting the abominable practices of the nations they dispossess.

Medium Summary

This chapter begins by instructing Israel to utterly destroy all places where the nations served their gods, including altars, pillars, and graven images, emphasizing that Israel must not worship the LORD in such ways. Instead, the LORD will choose a specific place for His name to dwell, to which all burnt offerings, sacrifices, tithes, and vows must be brought. This central sanctuary is where Israel is to eat and rejoice before the LORD with their households and the Levites. The chapter clarifies that while common meat may be eaten in their gates, the blood must always be poured out upon the earth, as it is the life. It reiterates the importance of bringing holy things and vows to the chosen place and strongly warns against inquiring after or adopting the idolatrous and abominable practices of the Canaanite nations, such as child sacrifice, commanding strict adherence to God's commands without addition or diminution.

Long Summary

Deuteronomy 12 sets forth the divine statutes and judgments for Israel to observe upon entering the land promised by the LORD. The primary command is the complete destruction of all pagan worship sites, including altars, pillars, groves, and graven images, found on high mountains, hills, and under green trees, ensuring their names are destroyed from those places. In stark contrast, Israel is forbidden to worship the LORD their God in such a manner. Instead, the LORD will choose one specific place among their tribes for His name to dwell, and it is to this singular habitation that all burnt offerings, sacrifices, tithes, heave offerings, vows, freewill offerings, and firstlings of herds and flocks must be brought. There, they are to eat and rejoice before the LORD with their families and the Levites, who have no inheritance among them. The chapter explicitly prohibits offering burnt offerings in any place one sees, restricting them solely to the chosen sanctuary. While common meat may be killed and eaten in their gates according to their desire, the blood is strictly forbidden for consumption and must be poured out upon the earth as water, for the blood is the life. Certain holy things, like tithes and firstlings, must also be eaten before the LORD at the chosen place. The Israelites are commanded to take heed not to forsake the Levite. Finally, the chapter issues a severe warning against being snared by or inquiring after the practices of the nations they dispossess, particularly their abominations like child sacrifice, emphasizing that Israel must not do likewise unto the LORD their God. Moses concludes by instructing them to observe and do whatsoever God commands, neither adding to nor diminishing from it, ensuring their well-being and that of their children.

Core Concepts

  • Destruction of IdolatryIsrael is commanded to utterly destroy all places of pagan worship, including altars, pillars, groves, and graven images, to eradicate the influence of foreign gods from the land.
  • Central Place of WorshipThe LORD will choose one specific place for His name to dwell, and all major offerings, sacrifices, and tithes must be brought exclusively to this sanctuary, establishing a unified worship center for Israel.
  • Prohibition of Blood ConsumptionWhether in sacrificial or common eating, the consumption of blood is strictly forbidden, as it is considered the life; it must be poured out upon the earth like water.
  • Care for the LevitesIsrael is instructed to include the Levites in their communal rejoicing before the LORD and to take heed not to forsake them, recognizing their lack of territorial inheritance.
  • Adherence to Divine CommandsThe chapter concludes with a strong admonition to observe and do all that the LORD commands, without adding to or diminishing from His words, and to avoid adopting the abominable practices of the dispossessed nations.
  • Rejoicing Before the LORDEating and presenting offerings at the chosen sanctuary are to be occasions for communal rejoicing before the LORD, involving families and the Levites, in recognition of God's blessings.