^12:1 These are the statutes and the ordinances which you^* will observe to do in the land which Jehovah, the God of your fathers, has given you to possess it all the days that you^* live upon the earth.^12:2 You^* will surely destroy all the places in which the nations that you^* will evict served their gods, upon the high mountains and upon the hills and under every green tree. ^12:3 And you^* will break down their altars and smash their pillars and burn their Asherim {pole-images} with fire. And you^* will cut down the graven images of their gods and you^* will destroy their name out of that place.

    ^12:4 You^* will not do so to Jehovah your^* God. ^12:5But to the place which Jehovah your^* God will choose out of all your^* tribes, to put his name there, even to his dwelling you^* will seek and there you will come. ^12:6 And you^* will bring your^* burnt-offerings there and your^* sacrifices and your^* tithes and the heave-offering of your^* hand and your^* vows and your^* free-will offerings and the first-offspring of your^* herd and of your^* flock. ^12:7 And you^* will eat before Jehovah your^* God there and you^* will rejoice in all that you^* put your^* hand to, you^* and your^* households, in which Jehovah your God has blessed you.

    ^12:8 You^* will not do after all the things that we do here this day, every man whatever is right in his own eyes. ^12:9 Because you^* have not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance, which Jehovah your God gives you.

    ^12:10 But when you^* go over the Jordan and dwell in the land which Jehovah your^* God causes you^* to inherit and he gives you^* rest from all your^* enemies all around, so that you^* dwell in safety, ^12:11 then it will happen that to the place which Jehovah your^* God will choose to cause his name to dwell there, you^* will bring all that I command you^* there: your^* burnt-offerings and your^* sacrifices, your^* tithes and the heave-offering of your^* hand and all your^* choice vows which you^* vow to Jehovah.

    ^12:12 And you^* will rejoice before Jehovah your^* God, you^* and your^* sons and your^* daughters and your^* men-servants and your^* maid-servants and the Levite who is within your^* gates– inasmuch as he has no portion nor inheritance with you^*.

    ^12:13 Take heed to yourself that you do not offer your burnt-offerings in every place that you see, ^12:14but in the place which Jehovah will choose in one of your tribes. You will offer your burnt-offerings there and you will do all that I command you there.

    ^12:15 You may kill and eat flesh within all your gates only, after all the desire of your soul, according to the blessing of Jehovah your God which he has given you, the unclean and the clean may eat of it, as of the gazelle and as of the male-deer.

    ^12:16 Only you^* will not eat the blood. You will pour it out upon the ground as water.

    ^12:17 You may not eat within your gates the tithe of your grain, or of your new wine, or of your oil, or the first-offspring of your herd or of your flock, nor any of your vows which you vow, nor your free-will offerings, nor the heave-offering of your hand. ^12:18But you will eat them before Jehovah your God in the place which Jehovah your God will choose, you and your son and your daughter and your man-servant and your maid-servant and the Levite who is within your gates. And you will rejoice before Jehovah your God in all that you put your hand to.

    ^12:19 Take heed to yourself that you not forsake the Levite as long as you live in your land.

    ^12:20 When Jehovah your God will enlarge your border, as he has promised you and you will say, I will eat flesh, because your soul desires to eat flesh, you may eat flesh, after all the desire of your soul.^12:21 If the place which Jehovah your God will choose, to put his name there, is too far from you, then you will kill of your herd and of your flock, which Jehovah has given you, as I have commanded you and you may eat within your gates, according to all the desire of your soul. ^12:22 Even as the gazelle and as the male-deer is eaten, so you will eat of it. The unclean and the clean may eat of it alike.

    ^12:23 Only be sure that you not eat the blood. Because the blood is the life and you will not eat the life with the flesh. ^12:24 You will not eat it. You will pour it out upon the ground as water. ^12:25 You will not eat it, that it may go well with you and with your sons after you, when you will do what is right in the eyes of Jehovah.

    ^12:26 Only your holy things which you have and your vows, you will take and go to the place which Jehovah will choose. ^12:27 And you will offer your burnt-offerings, the flesh and the blood, upon the altar of Jehovah your God and the blood of your sacrifices will be poured out upon the altar of Jehovah your God and you will eat the flesh.

    ^12:28 Observe and hear all these words which I command you, that it may go well with you and with your sons after you everlasting, when you do what is good and right in the eyes of Jehovah your God.

    ^12:29 When Jehovah your God will cut off the nations from before you, where you go in to evict them and you evict them and dwell in their land, ^12:30 take heed to yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed from before you and that you not inquire after their gods, saying, How do these nations serve their gods? Even so I will do likewise.

    ^12:31 You will not do so to Jehovah your God. Because every abomination to Jehovah, which he hates, they have done to their gods, because they even burn their sons and their daughters in the fire to their gods.

    ^12:32 Whatever thing I command you^*, that will you^* observe to do. You will not add to it, nor diminish from it.