Deuteronomy 12 14

Deuteronomy 12:14 kjv

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.

Deuteronomy 12:14 nkjv

but in the place which the LORD chooses, in one of your tribes, there you shall offer your burnt offerings, and there you shall do all that I command you.

Deuteronomy 12:14 niv

Offer them only at the place the LORD will choose in one of your tribes, and there observe everything I command you.

Deuteronomy 12:14 esv

but at the place that the LORD will choose in one of your tribes, there you shall offer your burnt offerings, and there you shall do all that I am commanding you.

Deuteronomy 12:14 nlt

You may do so only at the place the LORD will choose within one of your tribal territories. There you must offer your burnt offerings and do everything I command you.

Deuteronomy 12 verses

Deuteronomy 12 14 Meaning

Deuteronomy 12:14 outlines a crucial command regarding Israel's worship in the promised land: all significant sacrifices and commanded acts of worship were to be performed exclusively at a single, divinely chosen location. This mandate aimed to centralize the worship of Yahweh, thereby distinguishing Israel from the surrounding Canaanite nations with their numerous local shrines and preventing the adoption of syncretistic religious practices. It underscores God's sole authority in establishing the proper place and manner of worship for His people.

Deuteronomy 12 14 Context

Deuteronomy chapter 12 serves as the primary exposition of the command to worship Yahweh exclusively at a single, divinely appointed central sanctuary, a revolutionary concept for the time. This chapter directly follows a section that details the blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience, making the worship commands fundamental. Moses is speaking to the second generation of Israelites on the plains of Moab, before their entry into Canaan.

The historical and cultural backdrop is crucial: the Canaanite peoples had numerous "high places" and cult sites (mounds, sacred groves, hilltops) where they worshipped various gods. Their worship often involved practices anathema to Yahweh, such as child sacrifice, cult prostitution, and syncretism with local spirits. The command in Dt 12, specifically Dt 12:14, functions as a direct polemic against these prevalent, decentralized pagan practices. By insisting on one location "which the Lord chooses," God established a unique and holy cult, reinforcing Israel's covenant identity, preventing spiritual dilution, fostering national unity around one God, and providing accountability for correct worship procedures.

Deuteronomy 12 14 Word analysis

• "but in the place" (אִם כִּי בַמָּקוֹם - ki bammāqôm): The Hebrew ki here serves as an emphatic "surely" or "rather," introducing a strong contrast to the previous verses' prohibition against worshipping "wherever you please" (Dt 12:13). Māqôm (מָקוֹם) denotes a specific, single location, not just any general area, stressing its uniqueness and singularity.
• "which the Lord chooses" (אֲשֶׁר יִבְחַר יְהוָה - ’asher yivḥar Yahweh):
  • "chooses" (יִבְחַר - yivḥar): From the root bahar, meaning to "select" or "elect." This highlights God's sovereign initiative and prerogative in designating the place. It removes human preference or arbitrary decision-making from the process, reinforcing divine authority over worship.
  • "the Lord" (יְהוָה - Yahweh): The covenant name of God, emphasizing His personal relationship with Israel and His unique authority as their only true deity.
• "in one of your tribes" (בְּאַחַד שְׁבָטֶיךָ - b'akhaḏ sh'vatheykha): This clarifies that while the place is divinely chosen, it will be situated within the geographic inheritance of one of Israel's twelve tribes, making it accessible to all, symbolizing unity.
• "there you shall offer" (שָׁמָּה תַּעֲלֶה - shammāh ta‘aleh):
  • "there" (שָׁמָּה - shammāh): Repetition of the specific locale, emphasizing exclusivity.
  • "you shall offer" (תַּעֲלֶה - ta‘aleh): From the verb ʿālâ, meaning "to go up," "ascend." This specific term refers to presenting sacrifices on the altar, particularly those that are wholly consumed and whose smoke "ascends" to God. This is a divine command, indicating obligation.
• "your burnt offerings" (אֶת עֹלֹתֶיךָ - et ‘ōlōṭeyḵā): Refers to the olah, the "whole burnt offering" (from ʿālâ, "to ascend"). This was the most comprehensive offering in the Old Testament sacrificial system, symbolizing complete dedication and atonement, as the entire animal (except the hide) was consumed on the altar. Its inclusion here indicates this crucial act of worship must be centralized.
• "and there you shall do" (וְשָׁמָּה תַּעֲשֶׂה - w'shammāh ta‘aseh): Again, "there" reinforces the singularity of the authorized location. "Do" (ʿāśâ) signifies diligent performance and execution of prescribed actions.
• "all that I command you" (כֹּל אֲשֶׁר אָנוֹכִי מְצַוֶּךָ - kol ’asher ’anokhî m'tzawwekha): A sweeping command, indicating that not only burnt offerings, but every single instruction regarding cultic worship, rituals, vows, tithes, and feasts were to be fulfilled at this unique chosen place. It underscores comprehensive obedience to God's precise and authoritative instructions.

Words-group by Words-group analysis:

• "but in the place which the Lord chooses": This foundational phrase establishes God's absolute sovereignty over the site of worship. It's a divine, not human, prerogative, ensuring the purity and holiness of the cult.
• "there you shall offer your burnt offerings, and there you shall do all that I command you": This pairing explicitly links specific cultic actions (burnt offerings) with the general principle of total obedience ("all that I command you") and grounds them geographically to the one chosen place. It details both the particular and universal demands of centralized, pure worship.

Deuteronomy 12 14 Bonus section

The command for a "chosen place" (Dt 12:14) reveals God's meticulous nature concerning worship. It wasn't about God being limited to one spot, but about ensuring His people remained separate from idolatry and false worship. This central point also became a national rallying point for all tribes, fostering unity beyond tribal distinctions. The eventual historical revelation of this chosen place as Jerusalem (Mount Zion) provided a fixed identity and significance for the Israelite capital as both a political and spiritual hub. While the New Covenant no longer requires geographical centralization for worship (John 4:21-24), the principle of worshipping God exclusively according to His terms, distinct from worldly practices, and with genuine obedience to His revealed commands remains fundamental.

Deuteronomy 12 14 Commentary

Deuteronomy 12:14 serves as the heart of the "law of the central sanctuary," demanding a singular, God-designated site for the worship of Yahweh. This command was revolutionary in its ancient Near Eastern context, where multiple local shrines and high places for deities were commonplace. By restricting legitimate sacrifice and communal worship to one divinely chosen location (eventually Shiloh, and then Jerusalem), God prevented Israel from adopting the syncretistic practices of their pagan neighbors and preserved the purity and exclusivity of His worship. The burnt offering (olah) specifically denotes complete dedication and expiation, making its centralization critical for national holiness. The repeated "there you shall do all that I command you" broadens the mandate beyond sacrifices to encompass the entire body of worship regulations, emphasizing total and obedient adherence to God's revealed will regarding religious life. This centralization forged a national identity around Yahweh, underscored His unity and sovereignty, and prepared the way for pilgrimage feasts that further unified the tribes under God's chosen leadership and law. The physical locus of worship would, in the New Covenant, transition to the spiritual reality of Christ's perfect sacrifice and the church as the new temple, though the principle of orderly, divinely initiated worship and complete obedience remains eternally valid.