Focused Passage

Deuteronomy 12:29-32

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

29 When the LORD your God cuts off before you the nations you are entering to dispossess, and you drive them out and live in their land,

30 be careful not to be ensnared by their ways after they have been destroyed before you. Do not inquire about their gods, asking, “How do these nations serve their gods? I will do likewise.”

31 You must not worship the LORD your God in this way, because they practice for their gods every abomination which the LORD hates. They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire as sacrifices to their gods.

32 See that you do everything I command you; do not add to it or subtract from it.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 29

Cross-references

Deuteronomy 4:15 BSB references Ezekiel 6 BSB references Deuteronomy 18:9 Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 19:1 Classic cross-references Joshua 23:4 Classic cross-references

Original words

When כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction the LORD יְהוָ֨ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular your God אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker cuts off יַכְרִית֩ H3772 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular before you מִפָּנֶ֑יךָ H6440 Preposition-m | Noun - common plural construct | second person masculine singular the nations הַגּוֹיִ֗ם H1471 Article | Noun - masculine plural - אֲשֶׁ֨ר H834 Pronoun - relative you אַתָּ֥ה H859 Pronoun - second person masculine singular are entering בָא־ H935 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular . . . שָׁ֛מָּה H8033 Adverb | third person feminine singular to dispossess לָרֶ֥שֶׁת H3423 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct - אוֹתָ֖ם H853 Direct object marker | third person masculine plural and you drive them out וְיָרַשְׁתָּ֣ H3423 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular - אֹתָ֔ם H853 Direct object marker | third person masculine plural and live וְיָשַׁבְתָּ֖ H3427 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular in their land בְּאַרְצָֽם׃ H776 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural

Verse 30

Cross-references

2 Kings 17:15 Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 20:18 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 10:2 Classic cross-references Exodus 23:24 Classic cross-references Ezekiel 20:32 Classic cross-references

Original words

be careful הִשָּׁ֣מֶר H8104 Verb - Nifal - Imperative - masculine singular not פֶּן־ H6435 Conjunction to be ensnared תִּנָּקֵשׁ֙ H5367 Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular by their ways אַחֲרֵיהֶ֔ם H310 Preposition | third person masculine plural after אַחֲרֵ֖י H310 Preposition they have been destroyed הִשָּׁמְדָ֣ם H8045 Verb - Nifal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine plural before you מִפָּנֶ֑יךָ H6440 Preposition-m | Noun - common plural construct | second person masculine singular Do not וּפֶן־ H6435 Conjunction inquire תִּדְרֹ֨שׁ H1875 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular about their gods לֵֽאלֹהֵיהֶ֜ם H430 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural asking לֵאמֹ֨ר H559 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct How אֵיכָ֨ה H349 Interjection do these הָאֵ֙לֶּה֙ H428 Article | Pronoun - common plural - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker nations הַגּוֹיִ֤ם H1471 Article | Noun - masculine plural serve יַעַבְד֜וּ H5647 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural their gods אֱלֹ֣הֵיהֶ֔ם H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural I will אָֽנִי׃ H589 Pronoun - first person common singular do וְאֶעֱשֶׂה־ H6213 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - first person common singular vvv כֵּ֖ן H3651 Adverb likewise גַּם־ H1571 Conjunction

Verse 31

Cross-references

Leviticus 18:21 Classic cross-references 2 Kings 3:27 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 19:5 Classic cross-references 2 Kings 16:3 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 32:35 Classic cross-references

Original words

You must not לֹא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle [worship] תַעֲשֶׂ֣ה H6213 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular the LORD לַיהוָ֖ה H3068 Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular your God אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular in this way כֵ֔ן H3651 Adverb because כִּי֩ H3588 Conjunction they practice עָשׂוּ֙ H6213 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural for their gods לֵאלֹ֣הֵיהֶ֔ם H430 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural every כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct abomination תּוֹעֲבַ֨ת H8441 Noun - feminine singular construct which אֲשֶׁ֣ר H834 Pronoun - relative the LORD יְהוָ֜ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular hates שָׂנֵ֗א H8130 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular They even כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction . . . גַ֤ם H1571 Conjunction - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker burn יִשְׂרְפ֥וּ H8313 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural their sons בְּנֵיהֶם֙ H1121 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural - וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker and daughters בְּנֹ֣תֵיהֶ֔ם H1323 Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine plural in the fire בָאֵ֖שׁ H784 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - common singular [as sacrifices] to their gods לֵֽאלֹהֵיהֶֽם׃ H430 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural

Verse 32

Cross-references

Revelation 22:18 Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 4:2 Classic cross-references Matthew 5:19 Classic cross-references Proverbs 30:6 Classic cross-references Joshua 1:7 Classic cross-references

Original words

vvv אֹת֥וֹ H853 Direct object marker | third person masculine singular See that you do תִשְׁמְר֖וּ H8104 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural - אֵ֣ת H853 Direct object marker everything כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct . . . הַדָּבָ֗ר H1697 Article | Noun - masculine singular - אֲשֶׁ֤ר H834 Pronoun - relative I אָנֹכִי֙ H595 Pronoun - first person common singular command you מְצַוֶּ֣ה H6680 Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular - אֶתְכֶ֔ם H853 Direct object marker | second person masculine plural - לַעֲשׂ֑וֹת H6213 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct do not לֹא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle add תֹסֵ֣ף H3254 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect Jussive - second person masculine singular to it עָלָ֔יו H5921 Preposition | third person masculine singular . . . וְלֹ֥א H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle or subtract תִגְרַ֖ע H1639 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular from it מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃פ H4480 Preposition | third person masculine singular

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