Deuteronomy 12

1 “These are the statutes and judgments, which you shall observe to do in the land, which יהוה God (Elohim) of your fathers giveth you to possess it, all the days that you live upon the earth.

2 You shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations which you shall possess served their gods (elohim), upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree.

3 And you shall overthrow their altars, and break their pillars, and burn their Asherahs (Asherim) with fire; and you shall hew down the graven images of their gods (elohim), and destroy the names of them out of that place.

4 You shall not do so unto יהוה your God (Elohim).

5 But unto the place which יהוה your God (Elohim) shall choose out of all your tribes to put His name there, even unto His habitation shall you seek, and thither you shalt come.

6 And thither you 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 you shall eat before יהוה your God (Elohim), and you shall rejoice in all that you put your hand unto, you and your households, wherein יהוה your God (Elohim) hath blessed you.

8 You shall not do after all the things that we do here this day, every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes.

9 For you are not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance, which יהוה your God (Elohim) giveth you.

10 But when you go over Jordan (Yarden), and dwell in the land which יהוה your God (Elohim) giveth you to inherit, and when He giveth you rest from all your enemies round about, so that you dwell in safety;

11 Then there shall be a place which יהוה your God (Elohim) shall choose to cause His name to dwell there; thither shall you 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 you vow unto יהוה.

12 And you shall rejoice before יהוה your God (Elohim), you, and your sons, and your daughters, and your menservants, and your maidservants, and the Lewite that is within your gates; forasmuch as He hath no part nor inheritance with you.

13 Take heed to yourself that you offer not your burnt offerings in every place that you seest;

14 But in the place which יהוה shall choose in one of your tribes, there you shalt offer your burnt offerings, and there you shalt do all that I command you.

15 Notwithstanding you mayest kill and eat flesh in all your gates, whatsoever your soul lusteth after, according to the blessing of יהוה your God (Elohim) which He hath given you; the unclean and the clean may eat thereof, as of the roebuck, and as of the hart.

16 Only you shall not eat the blood; you shall pour it upon the earth as water.

17 You mayest not eat within your gates 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 freewill offerings, or heave offering of your hand.

18 But you must eat them before יהוה your God (Elohim) in the place which יהוה your God (Elohim) shall choose, you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Lewite that is within your gates; and you shalt rejoice before יהוה your God (Elohim) in all that you puttest your hands unto.

19 Take heed to yourself that you forsake not the Lewite as long as you livest upon the earth.

20 When יהוה your God (Elohim) shall enlarge your border, as He hath promised you, and you shalt say, I will eat flesh, because your soul longeth to eat flesh; you mayest eat flesh, whatsoever your soul lusteth after.

21 If the place which יהוה your God (Elohim) hath chosen to put His name there be too far from you, then you shalt kill of your herd and of your flock, which יהוה hath given you, as I have commanded you, and you shalt eat in your gates whatsoever your soul lusteth after.

22 Even as the roebuck and the hart are eaten, so you shalt eat them; the unclean and the clean shall eat of them alike.

23 Only be sure that you eat not the blood, for the blood is the life; and you mayest not eat the life with the flesh.

24 You shalt not eat it; you shalt pour it upon the earth as water.

25 You shalt not eat it; that it may go well with you, and with your children after you, when you shalt do that which is right in the sight of יהוה.

26 Only your holy things which you have, and your vows, you shalt take, and go unto the place which יהוה shall choose.

27 And you shalt offer your burnt offerings, the flesh and the blood, upon the altar of יהוה your God (Elohim); and the blood of your sacrifices shall be poured out upon the altar of יהוה your God (Elohim), and you shalt eat the flesh.

28 Observe and hear all these words which I command you, that it may go well with you, and with your children after you forever, when you doest that which is good and right in the sight of יהוה your God (Elohim).

29 When יהוה your God (Elohim) shall cut off the nations from before you, whither you goest to possess them, and you succeedest them, and dwellest in their land;

30 Take heeds 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 (elohim), saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods (elohim)? Even so will I do likewise.’

31 You shalt not do so unto יהוה your God (Elohim); for every abomination to יהוה, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods (elohim); for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods (elohim).

32 What thing soever I command you, observe to do it; you shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.