The Statutes for worship
圣所唯一Worship only in the special place
12:1 These [are] the chukkim and mishpatim, which you shall shomer to do in the land, which ADONAI Elohim (אלהים) of your avot gives you to yaresh (possess) it, all the days that you live upon ha adamah.
12:2 You shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the goyim (nations) which you shall yaresh (possess) served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree:
12:3 And you shall overthrow their mitzbechot (altars), and break their matzeivot (pillars), and burn their asherah (groves) with fire; and you shall hew down the pesel (graven images) (פּסי) of their gods, and destroy the names of them out of that place.
12:4 You shall not do so to ADONAI Eloheichem.
12:5 But to the place which ADONAI Eloheichem shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, [even] to his habitation shall you seek, and thither you shall come:
12:6 And thither you 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 you shall eat before ADONAI Eloheichem, and you shall rejoice in all that you put your hand to, you and your households, wherein ADONAI Eloheicha hath blessed you.
12:8 לֹא תַעֲשׂוּן כְּכֹל אֲשֶר אֲנַחְנוּ עֹשִׂים פֹּההַיּוֹם אִיש כׇּל-הַיָּשָר בְּעֵינָיו׃
Lo ta'asun kechol asher anachnu osim poh hayom ish chol-hayashar be'einav.
You 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 you are not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance, which ADONAI Eloheichem gives you.
12:10 But [when] you go over Yarden, and dwell in the land which ADONAI Eloheichem gives you to inherit, and [when] he gives you rest from all your enemies round about, so that you dwell in safety;
12:11 (ii) Walk the Path of Blessing
Then there shall be a place which ADONAI Eloheichem shall choose to cause his name to dwell there; thither shall you 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 you vow to ADONAI (יהוה):
12:12 And you shall rejoice before ADONAI Eloheichem, you, 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 yourself that you offer not your olot (burnt offerings) in every place that you seest:
12:14 But in the place which ADONAI (יהוה) shall choose in one of thy tribes, there you shall offer your olot (burnt offerings), and there you shall do all that I tzavah you.
12:15 [p86N6] Notwithstanding you may kill and eat flesh in all your she'arim, whatsoever your Nefesh lusteth after, according to the blessing of ADONAI Eloheicha which he hath given you the tamei and ha tahor may eat thereof, as of the gazelle, and as of the hart.
12:16 Only you shall not eat the blood; you shall pour it upon the earth as mayim.
12:17 you may not eat within your she'arim the tithe of your corn, or of your wine, or of your oil, or the firstlings of your herds or of your flock, nor any of your vows which you vowest, nor your nedavot (freewill offerings), or terumah (heave offering) of your hand:
12:18 But you must eat them before ADONAI Eloheicha in the place which ADONAI Eloheicha shall choose, you, and your banim, and your banot, and your avadim, and your maidservant, and the Levite that [is] within your she'arim: and you shall rejoice before ADONAI Eloheicha in all that you puttest your hands to.
12:19 Take heed to yourself that you forsake not the Levite as long as you livest upon the earth.
12:20 When ADONAI Eloheicha shall enlarge your border, as he hath promised you, and you shall say, I will eat flesh, because your Nefesh longeth to eat flesh; you may eat flesh, whatsoever your Nefesh lusteth after.
12:21 [p146n6] If the place which ADONAI Eloheicha hath chosen to put his name there be too far from you, then you shall kill of your herd and of your flock, which ADONAI (יהוה) hath given you, as I have commanded you, and you shall eat in your she'arim whatsoever your Nefesh lusteth after.
12:22 Even as the gazelle and the hart is eaten, so you shall eat them: the tamei and the tahor shall eat [of] them alike.
12:23 [n182N6] Only be sure that you eat not the blood: for the blood [is] the life; and you may not eat the life with the flesh.
12:24 you shall not eat it; you shall pour it upon the earth as mayim.
12:25 you shall not eat it; that it may go well with you, and with your banim after you, when you shall do [that which is] right in the sight of ADONAI (יהוה).
12:26 Only your set apart things which you have, and your vows, you shall take, and go to the place which ADONAI (יהוה) shall choose:
12:27 And you shall offer your olot (burnt offerings), the flesh and the blood, upon the altar of ADONAI Eloheicha: and the blood of your zevakhim (sacrifices) shall be poured out upon the altar of ADONAI Eloheicha, and you shall eat the flesh.
12:28 Shomer and Shema all elleh Devarim which I tzavah you, that it may go well with you, and with your banim after you for ever, when you doest [that which is] good and right in the sight of ADONAI Eloheicha.
12:29 (iii) Beware of Idolatry
When ADONAI Eloheicha shall cut off the goyim (nations) from before you, whither you goest to yaresh (possess) them, and you succeedest them, and dwellest in their land;
12:30 Take heed to yourself that you be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before you; and that you enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these goyim (nations) serve their gods? even so will I do likewise.
12:31 you shall not do so to ADONAI Eloheicha: for every toebah (abomination) to ADONAI (יהוה), which he hateth, have they done to 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: you shall not add thereto, nor diminish from it.