The Statutes for worship
圣所唯一Worship only in the special place
12:1 These [are] the chukkim and mishpatim, which ye shall shomer to do in the land, which YHWH Elohim (אלהים) of thy avot giveth thee to yaresh (possess) it, all the days that ye live upon ha adamah.
12:2 Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the goyim (nations) which ye shall yaresh (possess) served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree:
12:3 And ye shall overthrow their mitzbechot (altars), and break their matzeivot (pillars), and burn their asherah (groves) with fire; and ye shall hew down the pesel (graven images) (פּסי) of their gods, and destroy the names of them out of that place.
12:4 Ye shall not do so unto YHWH Eloheichem.
12:5 But unto the place which YHWH Eloheichem shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, [even] unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come:
12:6 And thither ye shall bring your olot (burnt offerings), and your zevakhim (sacrifices), and your maaseros (tithes), and terumah (heave offering) of your hand, and your vows, and your nedavot (freewill offerings), and the firstlings of your herds and of your flocks:
12:7 And there ye shall eat before YHWH Eloheichem, and ye shall rejoice in all that ye put your hand unto, ye and your households, wherein YHWH Eloheicha hath blessed thee.
12:8 Ye shall not do after all [the things] that we do here this day, every man whatsoever [is] right in his own eyes.
12:9 For ye are not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance, which YHWH Eloheichem giveth you.
12:10 But [when] ye go over Yarden, and dwell in the land which YHWH Eloheichem giveth you to inherit, and [when] he giveth you rest from all your enemies round about, so that ye dwell in safety;
12:11 (ii) Walk the Path of Blessing
Then there shall be a place which YHWH Eloheichem shall choose to cause his name to dwell there; thither shall ye bring all that I tzavah you; your olot (burnt offerings), and your zevakhim (sacrifices), your maaseros (tithes), and the terumah (heave offering) of your hand, and all your choice vows which ye vow unto YHWH (יהוה):
12:12 And ye shall rejoice before YHWH Eloheichem, ye, and your banim, and your daughters, and your menservants, and your maidservants, and the Levite that [is] within your she'arim; forasmuch as he hath no part nor inheritance with you.
12:13 Take heed to thyself that thou offer not thy olot (burnt offerings) in every place that thou seest:
12:14 But in the place which YHWH (יהוה) shall choose in one of thy tribes, there thou shalt offer thy olot (burnt offerings), and there thou shalt do all that I tzavah thee.
12:15 [p86N6] Notwithstanding thou mayest kill and eat flesh in all thy she'arim, whatsoever thy Nefesh lusteth after, according to the blessing of YHWH Eloheicha which he hath given thee: the tamei and ha tahor may eat thereof, as of the gazelle, and as of the hart.
12:16 Only ye shall not eat the blood; ye shall pour it upon the earth as mayim.
12:17 Thou mayest not eat within thy she'arim 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 nedavot (freewill offerings), or terumah (heave offering) of thine hand:
12:18 But thou must eat them before YHWH Eloheicha in the place which YHWH Eloheicha shall choose, thou, and thy banim, and thy banot, and thy avadim, and thy maidservant, and the Levite that [is] within thy she'arim: and thou shalt rejoice before YHWH Eloheicha in all that thou puttest thine hands unto.
12:19 Take heed to thyself that thou forsake not the Levite as long as thou livest upon the earth.
12:20 When YHWH Eloheicha shall enlarge thy border, as he hath promised thee, and thou shalt say, I will eat flesh, because thy Nefesh longeth to eat flesh; thou mayest eat flesh, whatsoever thy Nefesh lusteth after.
12:21 [p146n6] If the place which YHWH Eloheicha hath chosen to put his name there be too far from thee, then thou shalt kill of thy herd and of thy flock, which YHWH (יהוה) hath given thee, as I have commanded thee, and thou shalt eat in thy she'arim whatsoever thy Nefesh lusteth after.
12:22 Even as the gazelle and the hart is eaten, so thou shalt eat them: the tamei and the tahor shall eat [of] them alike.
12:23 [n182N6] Only be sure that thou eat not the blood: for the blood [is] the life; and thou mayest not eat the life with the flesh.
12:24 Thou shalt not eat it; thou shalt pour it upon the earth as mayim.
12:25 Thou shalt not eat it; that it may go well with thee, and with thy banim after thee, when thou shalt do [that which is] right in the sight of YHWH (יהוה).
12:26 Only thy set apart things which thou hast, and thy vows, thou shalt take, and go unto the place which YHWH (יהוה) shall choose:
12:27 And thou shalt offer thy olot (burnt offerings), the flesh and the blood, upon the altar of YHWH Eloheicha: and the blood of thy zevakhim (sacrifices) shall be poured out upon the altar of YHWH Eloheicha, and thou shalt eat the flesh.
12:28 Shomer and Shema all elleh Devarim which I tzavah thee, that it may go well with thee, and with thy banim after thee for ever, when thou doest [that which is] good and right in the sight of YHWH Eloheicha.
12:29 (iii) Beware of Idolatry
When YHWH Eloheicha shall cut off the goyim (nations) from before thee, whither thou goest to yaresh (possess) them, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land;
12:30 Take 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 goyim (nations) serve their gods? even so will I do likewise.
12:31 Thou shalt not do so unto YHWH Eloheicha: for every toebah (abomination) to YHWH (יהוה), which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their banim and their banot they have burnt in the fire to their gods.
12:32 (13:1)
What thing soever I command you, shomer to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.