Focused Passage

Deuteronomy 12:15-19

One Place, One People, One LORD: The Centralization of Worship

From the destruction of all Canaanite worship sites (vv. 1-4) through the centralization of all Israel's worship at the one chosen place (vv. 5-12) and the permission of profane slaughter with the blood prohibition (vv. 13-16) to the second cycle repeating the centralization and profane-slaughter provisions (vv. 17-28) and the closing warning against Canaanite inquiry and the addition-subtraction prohibition (vv. 29-32).

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

15But whenever you want, you may slaughter and eat meat within any of your gates, according to the blessing the LORD your God has given you. Both the ceremonially clean and unclean may eat it as they would a gazelle or deer,

16but you must not eat the blood; pour it on the ground like water.

17Within your gates you must not eat the tithe of your grain or new wine or oil, the firstborn of your herds or flocks, any of the offerings that you have vowed to give, or your freewill offerings or special gifts.

18Instead, you must eat them in the presence of the LORD your God at the place the LORD your God will choose—you, your sons and daughters, your menservants and maidservants, and the Levite within your gates. Rejoice before the LORD your God in all you do,

19and be careful not to neglect the Levites as long as you live in your land.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 15

Cross-references

Genesis 9:3Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 14:5Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 12:22Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 12:20Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 14:26Classic cross-references

Original words

Butרַק֩H7535Adverbwheneverבְּכָל־H3605Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructyouנַפְשְׁךָ֜H5315Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singularwantאַוַּ֨תH185Noun - feminine singular constructyou may slaughterתִּזְבַּ֣ח׀H2076Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularand eatוְאָכַלְתָּ֣H398Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singularmeatבָשָׂ֗רH1320Noun - masculine singularwithin anyבְּכָל־H3605Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructof your gatesשְׁעָרֶ֑יךָH8179Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singularaccording to the blessingכְּבִרְכַּ֨תH1293Preposition-k | Noun - feminine singular constructthe LORDיְהוָ֧הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularyour Godאֱלֹהֶ֛יךָH430Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular-אֲשֶׁ֥רH834Pronoun - relativehas givenנָֽתַן־H5414Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularyouלְךָ֖Preposition | second person masculine singularBoth the ceremonially cleanוְהַטָּהוֹר֙H2889Conjunctive waw, Article | Adjective - masculine singularand uncleanהַטָּמֵ֤אH2931Article | Adjective - masculine singularmay eat itיֹאכְלֶ֔נּוּH398Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singularas they would a gazelleכַּצְּבִ֖יH6643Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singularor deerוְכָאַיָּֽל׃H354Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singular

Verse 16

Cross-references

Genesis 9:4Classic cross-references Leviticus 17:10Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 12:23Classic cross-references Leviticus 17:13Classic cross-references Leviticus 3:17Classic cross-references

Original words

butרַ֥קH7535Adverbyou must notלֹ֣אH3808Adverb - Negative particleeatתֹאכֵ֑לוּH398Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine pluralthe bloodהַדָּ֖םH1818Article | Noun - masculine singularpourתִּשְׁפְּכֶ֖נּוּH8210Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular | third person masculine singularit onעַל־H5921Prepositionthe groundהָאָ֥רֶץH776Article | Noun - feminine singularlike waterכַּמָּֽיִם׃H4325Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine plural

Verse 17

Cross-references

Deuteronomy 14:22Classic cross-references 1 Samuel 1:4Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 26:14Classic cross-references Genesis 14:20Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 12:6Classic cross-references

Original words

Within your gatesבִּשְׁעָרֶ֗יךָH8179Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singularyou mustתוּכַ֞לH3201Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularnotלֹֽא־H3808Adverb - Negative particleeatלֶאֱכֹ֣לH398Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructthe titheמַעְשַׂ֤רH4643Noun - masculine singular constructof your grainדְּגָֽנְךָ֙H1715Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singularor new wineוְתִֽירֹשְׁךָ֣H8492Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singularor oilוְיִצְהָרֶ֔ךָH3323Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singularthe firstbornוּבְכֹרֹ֥תH1060Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural constructof your herdsבְּקָרְךָ֖H1241Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singularor flocksוְצֹאנֶ֑ךָH6629Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singularanyוְכָל־H3605Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular constructof the offeringsנְדָרֶ֙יךָ֙H5088Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singularthatאֲשֶׁ֣רH834Pronoun - relativeyou have vowed to giveתִּדֹּ֔רH5087Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularor your freewill offeringsוְנִדְבֹתֶ֖יךָH5071Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine plural construct | second person masculine singular. . .יָדֶֽךָ׃H3027Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singularor special giftsוּתְרוּמַ֥תH8641Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct

Verse 18

Cross-references

1 Corinthians 10:31Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 12:7Classic cross-references Habakkuk 3:18Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 14:27Classic cross-references Luke 10:7Classic cross-references

Original words

Insteadכִּ֡יH3588Conjunction. . .אִם־H518Conjunctionyou must eat themתֹּאכְלֶ֗נּוּH398Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular | third person masculine singularin the presenceלִפְנֵי֩H6440Preposition-l | Noun - common plural constructof the LORDיְהוָ֨הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularyour Godאֱלֹהֶ֜יךָH430Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singularat the placeבַּמָּקוֹם֙H4725Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular-אֲשֶׁ֨רH834Pronoun - relativethe LORDיְהוָ֣הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularyour Godאֱלֹהֶיךָ֮H430Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singularwill chooseיִבְחַ֜רH977Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularyouאַתָּ֨הH859Pronoun - second person masculine singularyour sonsוּבִנְךָ֤H1121Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singularand daughtersוּבִתֶּ֙ךָ֙H1323Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singularyour menservantsוְעַבְדְּךָ֣H5650Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singularand maidservantsוַאֲמָתֶ֔ךָH519Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singularand the Leviteוְהַלֵּוִ֖יH3881Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular-אֲשֶׁ֣רH834Pronoun - relativewithin your gatesבִּשְׁעָרֶ֑יךָH8179Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singularRejoiceוְשָׂמַחְתָּ֗H8055Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singularbeforeלִפְנֵי֙H6440Preposition-l | Noun - common plural constructthe LORDיְהוָ֣הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularyour Godאֱלֹהֶ֔יךָH430Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singularin allבְּכֹ֖לH3605Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructyou doמִשְׁלַ֥חH4916Noun - masculine singular construct. . .יָדֶֽךָ׃H3027Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular

Verse 19

Cross-references

Galatians 6:6Classic cross-references 2 Chronicles 31:4Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 12:12Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 18:1Classic cross-references Nehemiah 10:34Classic cross-references

Original words

and be carefulהִשָּׁ֣מֶרH8104Verb - Nifal - Imperative - masculine singularnotפֶּֽן־H6435Conjunctionto neglectתַּעֲזֹ֖בH5800Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerthe Levitesהַלֵּוִ֑יH3881Article | Noun - proper - masculine singularasכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular construct. . .יָמֶ֖יךָH3117Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singularlong as you live inעַל־H5921Prepositionyour landאַדְמָתֶֽךָ׃סH127Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular

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