Deuteronomy 12:1-7

Expanded Bible

The Place for Worship

12 These are the ·commands [statutes; ordinances; requirements] and laws you must carefully obey in the land the Lord, the God of your ·ancestors [fathers], is giving you to possess. Obey them as long as you live in the land. ² When you ·inherit [possess] the lands of these nations, you must completely destroy all the places where they serve their gods, on high mountains and hills and under every green tree. ³ Tear down their altars, smash their holy stone pillars, and burn their ·Asherah idols [^LAsherim; 7:5; Judg. 3:7] in the fire. Cut down their idols and destroy their names from those places.

⁴ Don’t ·worship [act for] the Lord your God that way, ⁵ but look for the place the Lord your God will choose—·a place among your tribes where he is to be worshiped [^Las his dwelling where he will place his name]. Go there, ⁶ and bring to that place your burnt offerings [Lev. 1:1–17] and sacrifices; bring ·a tenth of what you gain [^Tyour tithes] and your special gifts; bring what you have ·promised [vowed] and the special gifts you want to give the Lord, and bring the first animals born to your herds and flocks.

⁷ There you and your families will eat in the presence of the Lord, and you will enjoy all ·the good things for which you have worked [your undertakings; ^Lall that is sent out from your hand], because the Lord your God has blessed you.