Deuteronomy 12:1-28

Deuteronomy 12:1-28

[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.  [2] Ye shall utterly  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:  [3] And 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.  [4] Ye 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:  [6] And 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:  [7] And 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  [8] Ye shall not do  here this day,  every man  whatsoever is right  in his own eyes.  [9] For ye are not as yet come  to the rest  and to the inheritance,  your God  giveth  you. [10] But 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;  [11] Then 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:  [12] And 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. [13] Take heed  to thyself that thou offer  not thy burnt offerings  in every place  that thou seest:  [14] But 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  [15] Notwithstanding 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.  [16] Only ye shall not eat  the blood;  ye shall pour  it upon the earth  as water.  [17] Thou 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:  [18] But 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. [19] Take heed  to thyself that thou forsake  not the Levite  as long as thou livest  upon the earth.  [20] When 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.  [21] If 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.  [22] Even as the roebuck  and the hart  is eaten,  them: the unclean  and the clean  shall eat  of them alike.  [23] Only be sure  that thou eat  not the blood:  is the life;  and thou mayest not eat  the life  with the flesh.  [24] Thou shalt not eat  it; thou shalt pour  it upon the earth  as water.  [25] Thou 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.  [26] Only thy holy things  which thou hast, and thy vows,  thou shalt take,  and go  unto the place  which the LORD  shall choose:  [27] And 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.  [28] Observe  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.