Focused Passage

Deuteronomy 12:8-14

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

8 You are not to do as we are doing here today, where everyone does what seems right in his own eyes.

9 For you have not yet come to the resting place and the inheritance that the LORD your God is giving you.

10 When you cross the Jordan and live in the land that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, and He gives you rest from all the enemies around you and you dwell securely,

11 then the LORD your God will choose a dwelling for His Name. And there you are to bring everything I command you: your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and special gifts, and all the choice offerings you vow to the LORD.

12 And you shall rejoice before the LORD your God—you, your sons and daughters, your menservants and maidservants, and the Levite within your gates, since he has no portion or inheritance among you.

13 Be careful not to offer your burnt offerings in just any place you see;

14 you must offer them only in the place the LORD will choose in one of your tribal territories, and there you shall do all that I command you.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 8

Original words

You are not לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle to do תַעֲשׂ֔וּן H6213 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural | Paragogic nun as כְּ֠כֹל H3605 Preposition | Noun - masculine singular - אֲשֶׁ֨ר H834 Pronoun - relative we אֲנַ֧חְנוּ H587 Pronoun - first person common plural are doing עֹשִׂ֛ים H6213 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural here פֹּ֖ה H6311 Adverb today הַיּ֑וֹם H3117 Article | Noun - masculine singular [where] everyone אִ֖ישׁ H376 Noun - masculine singular [does] what כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct seems right הַיָּשָׁ֥ר H3477 Article | Adjective - masculine singular in his own eyes בְּעֵינָֽיו׃ H5869 Preposition-b | Noun - cdc | third person masculine singular
Verse 9

Original words

For כִּ֥י H3588 Conjunction you have not לֹא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle yet עַד־ H5704 Preposition come בָּאתֶ֖ם H935 Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine plural . . . עָ֑תָּה H6258 Adverb to אֶל־ H413 Preposition the resting place הַמְּנוּחָה֙ H4496 Article | Noun - feminine singular . . . וְאֶל־ H413 Conjunctive waw | Preposition and the inheritance הַֽנַּחֲלָ֔ה H5159 Article | Noun - feminine singular that אֲשֶׁר־ H834 Pronoun - relative the LORD יְהוָ֥ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular your God אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular is giving נֹתֵ֥ן H5414 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular you לָֽךְ׃ Preposition | second person masculine singular
Verse 10

Original words

When you cross וַעֲבַרְתֶּם֮ H5674 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker the Jordan הַיַּרְדֵּן֒ H3383 Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular and live וִֽישַׁבְתֶּ֣ם H3427 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural in the land בָּאָ֔רֶץ H776 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular that אֲשֶׁר־ H834 Pronoun - relative the LORD יְהוָ֥ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular your God אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֖ם H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural is giving you as an inheritance מַנְחִ֣יל H5157 Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular - אֶתְכֶ֑ם H853 Direct object marker | second person masculine plural and He gives you rest וְהֵנִ֨יחַ H5117 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular from all מִכָּל־ H3605 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct the enemies אֹיְבֵיכֶ֛ם H341 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural around you מִסָּבִ֖יב H5439 Preposition-m | Adverb and you dwell וִֽישַׁבְתֶּם־ H3427 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural securely בֶּֽטַח׃ H983 Noun - masculine singular
Verse 11

Original words

- וְהָיָ֣ה H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular - אֲשֶׁר־ H834 Pronoun - relative - הַמָּק֗וֹם H4725 Article | Noun - masculine singular then the LORD יְהוָ֨ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular your God אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֥ם H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural will choose יִבְחַר֩ H977 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular a dwelling לְשַׁכֵּ֤ן H7931 Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct for His Name שְׁמוֹ֙ H8034 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular And there שָׁ֔ם H8033 Adverb . . . שָׁ֣מָּה H8033 Adverb | third person feminine singular you are to bring תָבִ֔יאוּ H935 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine plural - אֵ֛ת H853 Direct object marker everything כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct - אֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Pronoun - relative I אָנֹכִ֖י H595 Pronoun - first person common singular command you מְצַוֶּ֣ה H6680 Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular - אֶתְכֶ֑ם H853 Direct object marker | second person masculine plural your burnt offerings עוֹלֹתֵיכֶ֣ם H5930 Noun - feminine plural construct | second person masculine plural and sacrifices וְזִבְחֵיכֶ֗ם H2077 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural your tithes מַעְשְׂרֹֽתֵיכֶם֙ H4643 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural and special gifts וּתְרֻמַ֣ת H8641 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct . . . יֶדְכֶ֔ם H3027 Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine plural and all וְכֹל֙ H3605 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct the choice מִבְחַ֣ר H4005 Noun - masculine singular construct offerings נִדְרֵיכֶ֔ם H5088 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural - אֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Pronoun - relative you vow תִּדְּר֖וּ H5087 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural to the LORD לַֽיהוָֽה׃ H3068 Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 12

Original words

And you shall rejoice וּשְׂמַחְתֶּ֗ם H8055 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural before לִפְנֵי֮ H6440 Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct the LORD יְהוָ֣ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular your God אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶם֒ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural you אַתֶּ֗ם H859 Pronoun - second person masculine plural your sons וּבְנֵיכֶם֙ H1121 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural and daughters וּבְנֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם H1323 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine plural construct | second person masculine plural your menservants וְעַבְדֵיכֶ֖ם H5650 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural and maidservants וְאַמְהֹתֵיכֶ֑ם H519 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine plural construct | second person masculine plural and the Levite וְהַלֵּוִי֙ H3881 Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular - אֲשֶׁ֣ר H834 Pronoun - relative within your gates בְּשַֽׁעֲרֵיכֶ֔ם H8179 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural since כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction he has no אֵ֥ין H369 Adverb portion חֵ֥לֶק H2506 Noun - masculine singular or inheritance וְנַחֲלָ֖ה H5159 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular among you אִתְּכֶֽם׃ H854 Preposition | second person masculine plural
Verse 13

Original words

Be careful הִשָּׁ֣מֶר H8104 Verb - Nifal - Imperative - masculine singular not פֶּֽן־ H6435 Conjunction to offer תַּעֲלֶ֖ה H5927 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine singular your burnt offerings עֹלֹתֶ֑יךָ H5930 Noun - feminine plural construct | second person masculine singular in just any בְּכָל־ H3605 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct place מָק֖וֹם H4725 Noun - masculine singular - אֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Pronoun - relative you see תִּרְאֶֽה׃ H7200 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Verse 14

Original words

you must offer תַּעֲלֶ֣ה H5927 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine singular [them] עֹלֹתֶ֑יךָ H5930 Noun - feminine plural construct | second person masculine singular . . . וְשָׁ֣ם H8033 Conjunctive waw | Adverb only כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction . . . אִם־ H518 Conjunction in the place בַּמָּק֞וֹם H4725 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular - אֲשֶׁר־ H834 Pronoun - relative the LORD יְהוָה֙ H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular will choose יִבְחַ֤ר H977 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular in one בְּאַחַ֣ד H259 Preposition-b | Number - masculine singular construct of your tribal territories שְׁבָטֶ֔יךָ H7626 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular and there שָׁ֖ם H8033 Adverb you shall do תַּעֲשֶׂ֔ה H6213 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular all כֹּ֛ל H3605 Noun - masculine singular that אֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Pronoun - relative I אָנֹכִ֖י H595 Pronoun - first person common singular command you מְצַוֶּֽךָּ׃ H6680 Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.