Deuteronomy

Moses gives speeches about laws and the importance of following God before the Israelites enter the Promised Land.

Chapter 12

1 These are the statutes and judgments, which ye shall observe to do in the land, which the LORD God of thy fathers giveth thee to possess it, all the days that ye live upon the earth.

*These are the rules and decisions you must follow in the land the LORD gives you, for as long as you live on Earth.

2 Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations which ye shall possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree:

*You must completely eliminate all locations where the nations you will rule worshiped their gods - on high mountains, hills, and under every green tree.

3 And ye shall overthrow their altars, and break their pillars, and burn their groves with fire; and ye shall hew down the graven images of their gods, and destroy the names of them out of that place.

*You will knock down their altars, break their pillars, and burn their sacred places with fire. You will also cut down the statues of their gods and erase their names from that place.

4 Ye shall not do so unto the LORD your God.

*Do not do this to your God.

5 But unto the place which the LORD your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come:

*But go to the spot that your God picks from all your tribes for His name to be there. That's where you should look for Him and that's where you should go.

6 And thither ye 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:

*Bring your burnt offerings, sacrifices, tithes, hand offerings, vows, freewill offerings, and firstborn animals and sheep to this place.

7 And there ye shall eat before the LORD your God, and ye shall rejoice in all that ye put your hand unto, ye and your households, wherein the LORD thy God hath blessed thee.

*In a clearer way, this verse says: "There, you will eat in the presence of the Lord God, feeling happy about everything you do, along with your family, as the Lord has blessed you."

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

*Do not follow the actions done here today, as everyone thinks they are right in their own view.

9 For ye are not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance, which the LORD your God giveth you.

*You have not yet reached the resting place and the inheritance that the Lord gives you.

10 But when ye go over Jordan, and dwell in the land which the LORD your God giveth you to inherit, and when he giveth you rest from all your enemies round about, so that ye dwell in safety;

*But when you cross the Jordan River and live in the land your God gives you, and when he stops all your enemies from bothering you, then you can be safe.

11 Then there shall be a place which the LORD your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell there; thither shall ye 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 ye vow unto the LORD:

*Then, there will be a special place where God chooses to live; bring all things I tell you there - your burnt offerings, sacrifices, tithes, and gifts, plus everything you promise to give to God.

12 And ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God, ye, and your sons, and your daughters, and your menservants, and your maidservants, and the Levite that is within your gates; forasmuch as he hath no part nor inheritance with you.

*Rejoice before God with your children, servants, and female servants, along with the Levites living near you. They don't have land or inheritance like you do.

13 Take heed to thyself that thou offer not thy burnt offerings in every place that thou seest:

*Be careful not to offer your burned sacrifices at every place you see.

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

*But at the spot where God picks in one of your tribes, that's where you'll offer your burned sacrifices and do everything I tell you.

15 Notwithstanding thou mayest kill and eat flesh in all thy gates, whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee: the unclean and the clean may eat thereof, as of the roebuck, and as of the hart.

*Even though you can kill and eat meat in all your cities, anything your heart desires, based on the Lord's blessing to you; both the unclean and clean can eat it, just like deer and antelope.

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

*Don't eat the blood; instead, pour it onto the ground like water.

17 Thou mayest not eat within thy gates the tithe of thy corn, or of thy wine, or of thy oil, or the firstlings of thy herds or of thy flock, nor any of thy vows which thou vowest, nor thy freewill offerings, or heave offering of thine hand:

*You cannot eat the tithe (a tenth) of your grain, wine, or oil, or the first animals from your herds or flock, nor can you keep any vows you make, or gifts you willingly give, or special offerings you provide.

18 But thou must eat them before the LORD thy God in the place which the LORD thy God shall choose, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite that is within thy gates: and thou shalt rejoice before the LORD thy God in all that thou puttest thine hands unto.

*But you must eat them in the place God chooses, along with you, your son, daughter, servant, maid, and local Levites. Enjoy yourself while doing this in honor of God.

19 Take heed to thyself that thou forsake not the Levite as long as thou livest upon the earth.

*Be careful not to forget the Levites while you live on Earth.

20 When the LORD thy God shall enlarge thy border, as he hath promised thee, and thou shalt say, I will eat flesh, because thy soul longeth to eat flesh; thou mayest eat flesh, whatsoever thy soul lusteth after.

*When God increases your territory, as he has promised, and you want to eat meat because you really crave it, you can eat whatever meat your heart desires.

21 If the place which the LORD thy God hath chosen to put his name there be too far from thee, then thou shalt kill of thy herd and of thy flock, which the LORD hath given thee, as I have commanded thee, and thou shalt eat in thy gates whatsoever thy soul lusteth after.

*If God's chosen place is too far away, use animals from your herd and flock, as I told you, and eat whatever you desire at home.

22 Even as the roebuck and the hart is eaten, so thou shalt eat them: the unclean and the clean shall eat of them alike.

*Just like the roebuck and hart are eaten, you will also eat them. Both unclean and clean people can eat them in the same way.

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

*Just make sure you don't eat the blood, as it contains life; you cannot eat the living part along with the meat.

24 Thou shalt not eat it; thou shalt pour it upon the earth as water.

*Do not eat it; instead, pour it on the ground like water.

25 Thou shalt not eat it; that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, when thou shalt do that which is right in the sight of the LORD.

*Do not eat it to be healthy and to pass these good habits on to your children, as you follow what is right in God's eyes.

26 Only thy holy things which thou hast, and thy vows, thou shalt take, and go unto the place which the LORD shall choose:

*Only keep your holy items and promises; go to the place the LORD picks.

27 And thou shalt offer thy burnt offerings, the flesh and the blood, upon the altar of the LORD thy God: and the blood of thy sacrifices shall be poured out upon the altar of the LORD thy God, and thou shalt eat the flesh.

*Offer your burnt offerings, including the meat and blood, on the Lord's altar. Pour the blood of your sacrifices onto this altar, and then you may eat the meat.

28 Observe and hear all these words which I command thee, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee for ever, when thou doest that which is good and right in the sight of the LORD thy God.

*Listen to these commands I give you. Follow them to have a good life and to help your kids have a good life too, forever. Do what's good and right in the eyes of God.

29 When the LORD thy God shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land;

*When the LORD your God drives out the other nations ahead of you to take their land, and you replace them and live in their territory.

30 Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise.

*Be careful not to follow or copy the ways of destroyed nations and their gods, don't ask how they worshiped, as you don't want to do the same things.

31 Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God: for every abomination to the LORD, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods.

*Do not do such things to God. Don't follow the bad practices that He hates, as those are the same actions done to other gods. People even burned their children in fire as offerings to those gods.

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

*Do whatever I tell you; don't add or take away from it.

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