Yahweh’s Chosen Place of Worship

1“These are the statutes and the judgments which you shall be careful to do in the land which Yahweh, the God of your fathers, has given you to possess all the days you live on the [†]earth. 2You shall utterly destroy all the places where the nations whom you shall dispossess serve their gods, on the high mountains and on the hills and under every green tree. 3And you shall tear down their altars and shatter their sacred pillars and burn their [†]Asherim with fire, and you shall cut the graven images of their gods in pieces and destroy their name from that place. 4You shall not do thus toward Yahweh your God. 5But you shall seek Yahweh at the place which Yahweh your God will choose from all your tribes, to establish His name there for His dwelling, and there you shall come. 6And there you shall bring your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the [†]contribution of your hand, your votive offerings, your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herd and of your flock. 7There also you and your households shall eat before Yahweh your God, and be glad in all that you send forth your hand to do, in which Yahweh your God has blessed you.

8“You shall not do at all what we are doing here today, every man doing whatever is right in his own eyes; 9for you have not as yet come to the resting place and the inheritance which Yahweh your God is giving you. 10Now you will cross the Jordan and live in the land which Yahweh your God is giving you to inherit. And He will give you rest from all your enemies around you so that you live in security. 11Then it will be that the place in which Yahweh your God will choose for His name to dwell, there you shall bring all that I am commanding you: your burnt offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes and the [†]contribution of your hand, and all your choice votive offerings which you will vow to Yahweh. 12And you shall be glad before Yahweh your God, you and your sons and daughters, your male and female slaves, and the Levite who is within your gates, since he has no portion or inheritance with you.

13“Beware, lest you offer your burnt offerings in every cultic place you see, 14but in the place which Yahweh chooses in one of your tribes, there you shall offer your burnt offerings, and there you shall do all that I am commanding you.

15“However, you may sacrifice and eat meat within any of your gates, [†]whatever you desire, according to the blessing of Yahweh your God which He has given you; the unclean and the clean may eat of it, as of the gazelle and the deer. 16Only you shall not eat the blood; you are to pour it out on the ground like water. 17You are not allowed to eat within your gates the tithe of your grain or new wine or oil, or the firstborn of your herd or flock, or any of your votive offerings which you vow, or your freewill offerings, or the [†]contribution of your hand. 18But you shall eat them before Yahweh your God in the place which Yahweh your God will choose, you and your son and daughter, and your male and female slaves, and the Levite who is within your gates; and you shall be glad before Yahweh your God in all that you send forth your hand to do. 19Beware lest you forsake the Levite all your days upon your land.

20“When Yahweh your God enlarges your territory as He has promised you, and you say, ‘I will eat meat,’ because [†]you desire to eat meat, then you may eat meat, [†]whatever you desire. 21If the place where Yahweh your God chooses to set His name is too far away from you, then you may sacrifice of your herd and flock which Yahweh has given you, as I have commanded you; and you may eat within your gates [†]whatever you desire. 22Just as a gazelle or a deer is eaten, so you will eat it; the unclean and the clean alike may eat of it. 23Only be strong in yourselves not to eat the blood, for the blood is the [†]life, and you shall not eat the [†]life with the flesh. 24You shall not eat it; you shall pour it out on the ground like water. 25You shall not eat it, so that it may be well with you and your sons after you, for you will be doing what is right in the sight of Yahweh. 26Only your holy things which you may have and your votive offerings, you shall take and go to the place which Yahweh chooses. 27And you shall offer your burnt offerings, the flesh and the blood, on the altar of Yahweh your God; and the blood of your sacrifices shall be poured out on the altar of Yahweh your God, and you shall eat the flesh.

28“Be careful to listen to all these words which I command you, so that it may be well with you and your sons after you forever, for you will be doing what is good and right in the sight of Yahweh your God.

29“When Yahweh your God cuts off before you the nations which you are going in to dispossess, and you dispossess them and inhabit their land, 30beware lest you be ensnared [†]to follow them, after they are destroyed before you, and lest you inquire after their gods, saying, ‘How do these nations serve their gods, that I also may do likewise?’ 31You shall not do thus toward Yahweh your God, for every abominable act which Yahweh hates they have done for their gods; for they even burn their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods.

32“[†]Whatever I am commanding you, you shall be careful to do; you shall not add to nor take away from it.