The One Place of Worship
1These are the decrees and laws you must be careful to follow in the land that the Lord, the God of your ancestors, has given you to possess—as long as you live in the land. 2Destroy completely all the places on the high mountains, on the hills and under every spreading tree, where the nations you are dispossessing worship their gods. 3Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones and burn their Asherah poles in the fire; cut down the idols of their gods and wipe out their names from those places.
4You must not worship the Lord your God in their way. 5But you are to seek the place the Lord your God will choose from among all your tribes to put his Name there for his dwelling. To that place you must go; 6there bring your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and special gifts, what you have vowed to give and your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks. 7There, in the presence of the Lord your God, you and your families shall eat and shall rejoice in everything you have put your hand to, because the Lord your God has blessed you.
8You are not to do as we do here today, everyone doing as they see fit, 9since you have not yet reached the resting place and the inheritance the Lord your God is giving you. 10But you will cross the Jordan and settle in the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, and he will give you rest from all your enemies around you so that you will live in safety. 11Then to the place the Lord your God will choose as a dwelling for his Name—there you are to bring everything I command you: your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and special gifts, and all the choice possessions you have vowed to the Lord. 12And there rejoice before the Lord your God—you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levites from your towns who have no allotment or inheritance of their own. 13Be careful not to sacrifice your burnt offerings anywhere you please. 14Offer them only at the place the Lord will choose in one of your tribes, and there observe everything I command you.
15Nevertheless, you may slaughter your animals in any of your towns and eat as much of the meat as you want, as if it were gazelle or deer, according to the blessing the Lord your God gives you. Both the ceremonially unclean and the clean may eat it. 16But you must not eat the blood; pour it out on the ground like water. 17You must not eat in your own towns the tithe of your grain and new wine and olive oil, or the firstborn of your herds and flocks, or whatever you have vowed to give, or your freewill offerings or special gifts. 18Instead, you are to eat them in the presence of the Lord your God at the place the Lord your God will choose—you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levites from your towns—and you are to rejoice before the Lord your God in everything you put your hand to. 19Be careful not to neglect the Levites as long as you live in your land.
20When the Lord your God has enlarged your territory as he promised you, and you crave meat and say, “I would like some meat,” then you may eat as much of it as you want. 21If the place where the Lord your God chooses to put his Name is too far away from you, you may slaughter animals from the herds and flocks the Lord has given you, as I have commanded you, and in your own towns you may eat as much of them as you want. 22Eat them as you would gazelle or deer. Both the ceremonially unclean and the clean may eat. 23But be sure you do not eat the blood, because the blood is the life, and you must not eat the life with the meat. 24You must not eat the blood; pour it out on the ground like water. 25Do not eat it, so that it may go well with you and your children after you, because you will be doing what is right in the eyes of the Lord.
26But take your consecrated things and whatever you have vowed to give, and go to the place the Lord will choose. 27Present your burnt offerings on the altar of the Lord your God, both the meat and the blood. The blood of your sacrifices must be poured beside the altar of the Lord your God, but you may eat the meat. 28Be careful to obey all these regulations I am giving you, so that it may always go well with you and your children after you, because you will be doing what is good and right in the eyes of the Lord your God.
29The Lord your God will cut off before you the nations you are about to invade and dispossess. But when you have driven them out and settled in their land, 30and after they have been destroyed before you, be careful not to be ensnared by inquiring about their gods, saying, “How do these nations serve their gods? We will do the same.” 31You must not worship the Lord your God in their way, because in worshiping their gods, they do all kinds of detestable things the Lord hates. They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire as sacrifices to their gods.
32See that you do all I command you; do not add to it or take away from it.12:32 In Hebrew texts this verse (12:32) is numbered 13:1.
Mahali Pekee Pa Kuabudia
112:1 Za 119:5; Kum 4:9-10; 6:15; 1Fal 8:40; Eze 20:19; Gal 6:9Hizi ndizo amri na sheria ambazo ni lazima mwe waangalifu kuzifuata katika nchi ambayo Bwana, Mungu wa baba zenu, amewapa kumiliki, kwa muda wote mtakaoishi katika nchi. 212:2 Hes 21:28; 1Fal 14:23; 2Fal 17:10; Isa 57:5; Yer 2:20; 3:6-13; Kut 34:33Haribuni kabisa kila mahali pao pa kuabudia kwenye milima mirefu, vilima na chini ya kila mti mkubwa ambamo mataifa haya mnayokwenda kuchukua ardhi yao huabudia miungu yao. 312:3 2Fal 11:8; Kut 32:20; 34:13; 1Fal 14:15; Hes 33:53; Kut 23:13; Amu 2:2; Za 16:4; Zek 13:2Bomoeni madhabahu zao, vunjeni yale mawe wanayoabudu, chomeni moto nguzo zao za Ashera; katilieni mbali sanamu za miungu yao na mfute majina yao mahali hapo.
412:4 2Fal 17:15; Yer 10:2Kamwe msimwabudu Bwana Mungu wenu kama wanavyoabudu wao. 512:5 Kut 20:24; 2Sam 7:13; Kum 14:23; 15:20; 16:2, 11; 18:6; 26:2; 1Sam 2:29; 1Fal 1:5; 5; 8:16; 9:3; 2Nya 2:4; 6:6; 7:12-16; Ezr 6:12; 7:15; Za 26:8; 78:68; Zek 2:12Bali mtatafuta mahali Bwana Mungu wenu atakapopachagua katika makabila yenu yote ili aliweke jina lake huko kuwa makao yake. Mahali hapo ndipo iwapasapo kwenda; 612:6 Law 27:30; Mwa 28:20; Yos 22:27; Isa 66:20; Kum 14:22hapo ndipo mtakapoleta sadaka zenu za kuteketezwa na dhabihu, zaka zenu na changizo zenu, kile ulichoweka nadhiri kutoa, sadaka zenu za hiari na malimbuko ya makundi yenu ya ngʼombe pamoja na mbuzi na kondoo. 712:7 Kut 18:12; Mhu 3:12-13; Law 23:40; Isa 62:9Hapo, katika uwepo wa Bwana Mungu wenu, ninyi pamoja na jamaa zenu, mtakula na kufurahia kila kitu ambacho mmegusa kwa mikono yenu, kwa sababu Bwana Mungu wenu amewabariki.
812:8 Amu 17:6; 21:25Msifanye kama tunavyofanya hapa leo, kila mtu anavyopenda mwenyewe, 912:9 Kut 33:14; Kum 3:20; Za 95:11; Mik 2:10; Kum 4:21kwa kuwa bado hamjafikia mahali pa mapumziko na urithi ambao Bwana Mungu wenu anawapa. 1012:10 Kum 11:31; Kut 33:14; Law 1:3; Yos 22:23Lakini mtavuka Yordani na kuishi katika nchi Bwana Mungu wenu anayowapa kama urithi, naye atawapa pumziko kutokana na adui zenu wote wanaowazunguka ili ninyi mpate kuishi kwa salama. 1112:11 Kum 14:23; 15:20; 16:2; Yos 18:1; 1Fal 8:29; Za 78:68; 87:2Kisha kuhusu mahali Bwana Mungu wenu atakapopachagua kuwa mahali pa makao ya Jina lake, hapo ndipo inapowapasa kuleta kila kitu ninachowaamuru: sadaka zenu za kuteketezwa na dhabihu, zaka zenu na changizo, pamoja na vitu vyote vyenye thamani ambavyo mmeweka nadhiri kumtolea Bwana. 1212:12 Kum 26:11-13; 18:20; 9:10; 10:9; 14:29Hapo furahini mbele za Bwana Mungu wenu, ninyi, wana wenu na binti zenu, watumishi wenu wa kiume na wa kike, pamoja na Walawi kutoka miji yenu ambao hawana mgawo wala urithi wao wenyewe. 1312:13 Law 17:4Kuweni waangalifu, msitoe dhabihu zenu za kuteketezwa mahali popote mnapopapenda. 14Mtazitoa tu mahali pale ambapo Bwana atachagua katika mojawapo ya makabila yenu, nanyi hapo zingatieni kila jambo ninalowaamuru.
1512:15 Kum 14:5; 15:22; Mwa 9:3Hata hivyo, mnaweza kuwachinja wanyama wenu katika miji yenu yoyote ile na kula nyama nyingi mpendavyo kama vile mmemchinja paa au kulungu, kulingana na baraka mtakazojaliwa na Bwana Mungu wenu. Watu walio najisi au walio safi wanaweza kula. 1612:16 Mwa 9:4; Mdo 15:20; Mwa 35:14; 1Nya 11:18; Yer 7:18; Law 17:13; Kum 15:23; Yn 19:34; Law 7:26Lakini kamwe usinywe damu; imwage juu ya ardhi kama maji. 1712:17 Law 27:30; Hes 18:12-19; Kum 14:23; 15:20Hamruhusiwi kula katika miji yenu zaka yenu ya nafaka, ya divai mpya na ya mafuta, au mzaliwa wa kwanza wa makundi yenu ya ngʼombe na makundi yenu ya mbuzi na kondoo, wala chochote ambacho mmeweka nadhiri kukitoa, au sadaka zako za hiari, wala matoleo maalum. 1812:18 Kum 14:23; 15:20; 14:26; Neh 8:10; Mhu 3:12-13; 5:18-20Badala yake, mtakula vitu hivyo katika uwepo wa Bwana Mungu wenu mahali ambapo Bwana Mungu wenu atapachagua: wewe, wana wako na binti zako, watumishi wako wa kiume na wa kike, na Walawi kutoka miji yenu. Mnatakiwa mfurahi mbele za Bwana Mungu wenu kwa kula kitu mtakachoweka mikono yenu. 1912:19 Kum 14:27; Neh 13:10; Mal 3:8Mwe waangalifu msiwapuuze Walawi kwa muda wote mnaoishi katika nchi yenu.
2012:20 Kut 34:24; Mwa 15:8, 18; Kum 11:24; Kut 16:3Bwana Mungu wenu atakapokuwa ameongeza nchi yenu kama alivyowaahidi, nanyi mkitamani nyama na mkisema, “Ningependa nyama,” hapo unaweza kula nyingi upendavyo. 2112:21 Kum 14:24; Law 17:4Kama mahali ambapo Bwana Mungu wenu atapachagua kuweka Jina lake ni mbali sana kutoka kwenu, unaweza kuchinja wanyama kutoka makundi yenu ya ngʼombe, ya mbuzi na ya kondoo ambayo Bwana amewapa, kama nilivyokuamuru, na mkiwa katika miji yenu wenyewe mnaweza kula nyingi mtakavyo. 22Mle kama vile mngekula paa na kulungu. Wote walio najisi kiibada na walio safi mwaweza kula. 2312:23 Law 7:26; Eze 33:25; Mwa 9:4; Law 17:11, 14Lakini hakikisheni kwamba hamkunywa damu, kwa sababu damu ni uhai, kamwe msile uhai pamoja na nyama. 24Hamruhusiwi kamwe kunywa damu; imwageni juu ya ardhi kama maji. 2512:25 Kum 4:40; Kut 15:26; Kum 13:18; 1Fal 11:38; 2Fal 12:2; Isa 3:10Msinywe damu, ili mweze kufanikiwa ninyi pamoja na watoto wenu baada yenu, kwa sababu mtakuwa mkifanya lililo haki machoni pa Bwana.
2612:26 Hes 5:9-10; 18:19Lakini vichukueni vitu vyenu vilivyowekwa wakfu pamoja na vile mlivyoweka nadhiri, mwende mahali pale Bwana atakapopachagua. 2712:27 Law 1:13; 3:1-17Leteni sadaka zenu za kuteketezwa juu ya madhabahu ya Bwana Mungu wenu, vyote nyama na damu. Damu ya dhabihu zenu lazima imiminwe kando ya madhabahu ya Bwana Mungu wenu, lakini nyama mnaweza kula. 2812:28 Kum 4:40; Mhu 8:12; Za 25:12, 13; Mit 1:33; 3:1-4Mwe waangalifu kutii masharti haya yote ninayowapa, ili kwamba siku zote mweze kufanikiwa, ninyi pamoja na watoto wenu baada yenu, kwa sababu mtakuwa mkifanya lililo jema na sahihi mbele za macho ya Bwana Mungu wenu.
2912:29 Yos 23:4; Kum 6:10; Kut 23:23; Yos 23:4; Za 78:55Bwana Mungu wenu atayakatilia mbali mbele yenu mataifa ambayo punde kidogo mtayavamia na kuyaondoa. Lakini mtakapokuwa mmeyafukuza na kuishi katika nchi yao, 3012:30 Kut 10:7na baada ya kuangamizwa mbele yenu, mwe waangalifu msijiingize katika tanzi kwa kuuliza habari za miungu yao, mkisema, “Je, mataifa haya hutumikiaje miungu yao? Nasi tutafanya vivyo hivyo.” 3112:31 Law 18:25; 2Fal 3:27; Kum 9:5; Yer 32:35; 2Fal 17:15; 2Nya 33:2; 36:14Kamwe msimwabudu Bwana Mungu wenu kwa njia wanayoabudu miungu yao, kwa sababu katika kuabudu miungu yao, wanafanya aina zote za machukizo anayoyachukia Bwana. Hata huwateketeza wana wao na binti zao kwa moto kama kafara kwa miungu yao.
3212:32 Kum 4:2; Ufu 22:18-19; Yos 1:7; Mit 30:6Angalieni kwamba mnafanya yote niliyowaamuru; msiongeze kitu wala msipunguze kitu.
