Be careful not to offer your burnt offerings in just any place you see;
Parallel translations
- WEB Be careful that you don’t offer your burnt offerings in every place that you see;
- KJV Take heed to thyself that thou offer not thy burnt offerings in every place that thou seest:
- NKJV Take heed to yourself that you do not offer your burnt offerings in every place that you see;
- NASB “Be careful that you do not offer your burnt offerings in any cultic place that you see,
- NLT Be careful not to sacrifice your burnt offerings just anywhere you like.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Israel is warned not to offer burnt offerings at any place they choose. Sacrifice must be confined to the place God appoints.
Overview
Moses cautions against the natural impulse to set up worship wherever seems convenient or impressive, as the Canaanites did. Restricting sacrifice to the chosen sanctuary protects against syncretism and self-styled religion. The principle that worship must conform to God's appointment finds fulfillment in Christ, the one place and one sacrifice God has appointed for atonement.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- 1 Kgs 15:34And Baasha did evil in the sight of the LORD and walked in the way of Jeroboam and in his sin, which he had caused Israel to commit.
- Deut 12:6To that place you are to bring your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and heave offerings, your vow offerings and freewill offerings, as well as the firstborn of your herds and flocks.
- Lev 17:2–5“Speak to Aaron, his sons, and all the Israelites and tell them this is what the LORD has commanded:
- 1 Kgs 12:28–32After seeking advice, the king made two golden calves and said to the people, “Going up to Jerusalem is too much for you. Here, O Israel, are your gods, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.”
- 2 Chr 15:17The high places were not removed from Israel, but Asa’s heart was fully devoted all his days.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Commentaries & study tools
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Moses promised a Prophet like himself to whom Israel must listen (18:15); Jesus is that Prophet, the one who keeps the covenant we broke and becomes the curse for us by hanging on a tree (Gal 3:13).
How Deuteronomy 12:13 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.