Deuteronomy 12

A charge to root out all idolatry verse &c. and to perform the outward service of God according to his institution in this place which he himself should chose 5 what was permitted them to eat with whom in what places and what was forbidden concerning it 7.12 also there is again a commandment to observe the right worship of God and in no wise to follow the idolatrous custom of the Canaanites. 26.

1. These are the statutes and judgments which ye shall observe to do in the land which the Lord God of thy fathers hath given thee to inherit it all the days that ye live upon the earth.

2. Ye shall utterly destroy [Heb. Destroying destroy] till the places where the nations inherit as above chapter 11.23] have served their gods [understand such places as were sitted and reared up for idolatrous temple houses and all manner of consecrated in a heathenish manner and instruments of idolatry] upon the high mountains [where they thought to be somewhat near heaven and their idols then in the low ground compare Isaiah 57:5,7 Ezekiel6.13 Hosiah 4.13] and upon the hills and under all[that is all manner of] green tree [which in height beauty and shadow excelled others see 2kings 16 on verse 4.]

3. And ye shall cast down their altars reared up [or pillar images statutes] and burn their groves [thick dark groves or wood abused to idolatry as if darkness served for religiousness and some holiness in it] with fire and cut down the carved images of their Gods and ye shall destroy their names out of that place.

4. Ye shall do so unto the Lord your God [as the heathens do who practice idolatry in all places where they lift.]

5. but after the place which the Lord thy god shall chose out of your tribe [God honored the tribe of Judah wherewith passing by the other tribes in the matter see Psalms 78:67,68,69] to put his name there [that the ark of the covenant which was a special visible token of his gracious presence might safely rest there in the tabernacle or house and my public solemn worship might be there performed &c. compare 2 Samuel 6 on verse 2 1 Kings 8:29 so below verse 11.21 and chapter 14.23, 24 and chapter 16 .2,6 ,11 &c. the sure place afterwards chosen and ordained by God for that end was Jerusalem see 2 Samuel 7:27 2 Chronicles 22 Psalms 12:1,2,3,4 and 132,13,14 before Jerusalem was ordained for that end there was no such place although they were ordinarily to God ask counsel of him in the place where the ark of the covenant or tent of the congregation by Gods appointment did as the following book will plainly appear] after his habitation shall ye enquire and thither thou shalt go.

6. And thither ye shall bring your burnt offering and slay offerings and you’re your tithes and your heave offerings of your hand and your vows [that which have promises to give unto God] and your free will offerings and the first born of your oxen and of your sheep

7. And there ye shall eat before the face of your Lord your God and rejoice ye and your houses [that is household] in that ye have put of your hand that is all that ye have stretched forth or might stretch forth your hand unto so below verse 18 and chapter 15.10 &c.]Wherein the Lord thy God hath blessed thee.

8. Ye shall not do according to all things that we do here this day every man whatsoever is right in his eyes.

9. For hither to ye not come into the rest and into the inheritance which the Lord your God will give ye [that is all that seemeth good unto him how far this extendeth see in the following 11 verse.]

10. But ye shall go over in the land of Jordan which the Lord your God shall cause ye to inherit and he shall give ye rest from all your enemies round about and ye shall dwell in safely.

11. Then there shall be a place which the Lord your shall chose to cause his name to dwell there thither shall ye bring all that I command ye your burnt offerings and your slay offerings your tithes and the heaves offerings of your hand and all the choice of your vows which ye shall vow unto the Lord.]

12. And ye shall rejoice before the face of the Lord your god ye and your sons and your daughters and your man servants and your maid servants and the Levites that is within your gates for he hath no part nor inheritance with you[see above chapter 10.9.]

13. Take heed to thyself that thou offer not the burnt offerings in all or every place that thou shalt see [namely with delight.]

14. But in the place which the Lord shall choose in one of the tribes there thou shalt offer the burnt offerings and there thou shalt do all that I command thee.

15. Yet according to al the lusts of the soul thou shalt eat and kill flesh according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which he giveth thee in all thy gates [that is in all thy cities or dwelling places and so often] the unclean and the clean shall eat therefore as of a roc and of a hart [not as holy but as common and permitted food harts and rocs were indeed clean beasts which as common foods which might be eaten below chapter 14but they were not brought for offering so below verse 22 and chapter 15.22.]

16. Only ye shall not eat the blood ye shall pour it out upon the earth as water.

17. thou mayst not eat within thy gates the tithe of thy corn and of thine new wine and of thine oil [see concerning tithes Leviticus 27 on verse 30] nor the first born of thine oxen of thine sheep nor any of thy vows which thou shalt have vowed nor thy free will offerings nor the heave offering of thine hand.

18. But thou shalt eat it before the face of the Lord thy God in the place which the Lord thy God shall choose thou and thy son and thy daughters and thy maidservants and thy man servants and the Levites that is within thy gates and thou shalt rejoice before the face of the Lord in all that thou hast put thine hands unto [see above verse 7 below chapter 15.7.]

19. Take heed to thyself thou shalt forsake not the Levites all the days in the land [that is as long as thou shalt liveth upon the earth.]

20. when the Lord thy God shall have enlarged thy border according as he hath spoken unto thee and thou shalt say I will eat flesh because thy soul lusteth to eat flesh then thou shalt eat flesh according to all the lust of thy soul.

21. If the place which the Lord thy God shall choose to put his name there shall be far off from thee then thou shalt kill of thine oxen and of thy sheep which the Lord hath given thee according as I have commanded thee and thou shalt eat within the gates according to all the lusts of thy soul.

22. But according as a roc and a hart are eaten [see above on verse 15] so thou shalt eat it the unclean and the clean shall eat it together.

23. Only be sure thou eat not the blood for the blood is the soul [see Leviticus 17 on verse 11] therefore thou shalt not eat the soul with the flesh.

24. Thou shalt not pour it upon the earth as water [this ceremony commanded also above verse 16 is here especially inculcated see hereof Genesis 9:4 and Leviticus 27:11.]

25. Thou shalt not eat it that is may go well with thee and with thy children after thee when thou shalt have done that right in the sight of the Lord.

26. But thy holy things [Heb. Thy holiness that is things that are hallowed and dedicated unto the Lord as is declared in the sequel] which thou shalt have and thy vowed thou shalt take up and go unto the place which the Lord shall choose.

27. And thou shalt prepare thy burnt offering the flesh and the blood upon the altar of the Lord thy god and the blood of thy slay offering shall be poured upon the altarof the Lord thy God but thou shalt eat the flesh.

28. Ob serve and hear all the words which I command that it may go well with thee and with thy children after thee forever when thou shalt have done that which is good and right in the eyes of the Lord thy God.

29. When the Lord thy God shall have destroyed the nations before thy face whither thou goest to possess them [that is their land as above chapter 9.1 and 11.23&c.] hereditarily thou shalt possess them hereditarily and dwell in their land.

30. Take heed of thyself that thou not be snared after them [that is so that thou follow them] after that they shall be destroyed before thy face and that thou then enquire not after their Gods saying according as the nations have served after Gods so will I do likewise.

31. Thou shalt not do so unto the Lord thy God for what so ever is an abomination unto the lord which he hateth they have done unto their Gods for they have also burnt and daughters with fire unto their Gods [that is to honor of their idols of this abomination of the heathen imitated by the back sliding Jews see Jeremiah 7:31 and 19.5 and compare 2Kings 16.3 and 17.17 31 and 32 and 23.10.]

32. All this word [or this whole word the like words see above chapter 42] which I command ye shall observe to do it [others everything which I command ye shall &c.] shalt not add thereunto nor diminish from it [see above chapter 4.2 Proverbs 30:6 revelations 22.18.]