Deut. 12 They are commanded to destroy all the places of idolatry, Deut. 12:1–3; and must worship God in his own place, and after his will, Deut. 12:4–15. The eating of blood prohibited, Deut. 12:16. Where and how they should eat the tithe, Deut. 12:17–18. The Levite not to be forsaken, Deut.

All the places; temples, chapels, altars, groves, as appears from other scriptures. The Gentiles used to employ the high mountains for their idolatry; (see Isa. 57:5, Isa. 57:7, Ezek. 6:13, Hos. 4:13 and as they consecrated divers trees to their false gods, so they worshipped these under them:

Their pillars, upon which their images were set. The names of them, i.e. all the memorials of them, and the very names given to the places from the idols.

i.e. Not worship him in several places, mountains, groves, &c., which sense is evident from the following opposition.

To put his name there, i.e. to set up hiss worship there, or which he shall call by his name, as his house, or dwelling-place, &c., to wit, where the ark should be, the tabernacle, or temple; which was first Shiloh, Josh. 18:1, next and especially Jerusalem.

The sacrifices were wisely appropriated to that one and public place, partly for the security of the true religion, and for the prevention of idolatry and superstition, which otherwise might more easily have crept in; and partly to signify that their sacrifices were not accepted for their own…

There; not in the most holy place, wherein only the priests might eat, Num. 18:10, but more generally in places allowed to the people for this end in the holy city. Ye shall eat, to wit, your part of the things mentioned Deut. 12:6. Before the Lord, i.e.

Here; where the inconveniency of the place, and the uncertainty of our abode in and removal from several places, would not permit exact order in sacrifices, and feasts, and ceremonies, which therefore God was pleased then to dispense with; but, saith he, he will not do so there.

His name, i.e. his majesty and glory, his worship and service, his special and gracious presence, and the tokens of it. All your choice vows, Heb. the choice of your vows. i.e.

Hence it appears, that though the males only were obliged to appear before God in their solemn feasts, Ex. 23:17, yet the women also were permitted to come, as they did. See Judg. 21:19, Judg. 21:21, 1 Sam. 1:3, 1 Sam. 1:7, 1 Sam. 1:21–23.

Nor the other things mentioned above, this one and most eminent kind being put for all the rest, as is usual; for being all expressed before, it was needless to repeat them again.

Thou mayest kill and eat flesh, to wit, for thy common use and food. In all thy gates, i.e. thy cities or dwellings. Whatsoever thy soul lusteth after; what you shall desire either for quantity or quality, provided always you observe the laws given you elsewhere about avoiding excess and…

Thou; either, 1. Thou, O Levite; or rather, 2. Thou, O Israelite, whom he distinguisheth from the Levite, Deut. 12:18, accordingly as the following particulars agree to the one or to the other of you. Within thy gates, i.e.

Take heed lest a worldly mind and self-love make thee rob the Levites of their dues, as afterwards the ungodly Jews did. See Mal. 3:8.

When the Lord shall enlarge thy border, which will make it inconvenient and impossible to do what now thou dost, and because of the narrow bounds of thy camp canst conveniently do, to wit, to bring all the cattle thou usest to the tabernacle, which it seems probable they did, to prevent their…

Be too far from thee; in which case, being obliged to carry their sacrifice to the place of worship, that the blood might be there poured forth, &c., they might think themselves obliged, for the same reason, to carry their other cattle thither to be killed.

As the roebuck and the hart; as common or unhallowed food, though they be of the same kind with the sacrifices which are offered to God. The unclean and the clean shall eat of them alike, because there was no holiness in such meat for which the unclean might be excluded from it.

The blood is the life; of which See Poole on “Gen. 9:4”. See Poole on “Lev. 17:11”. The animal life depends upon the blood.

The holy things, mentioned before, Deut. 12:6, Deut. 12:11, Deut. 12:17, which thou hast consecrated to God.

Excepting what shall be burned to God’s honour, and given to the priest according to his appointment.

Whither thou goest to possess them; of which phrase see Deut. 9:1, Deut. 11:23

Snared; drawn into their sin and ruin. After that they be destroyed; i.e. by following the example they left, when their persons are destroyed. That thou inquire not after their gods, through curiosity to know their gods, and the manner of the worship, lest thy vain and foolish mind be seduced by…

Shalt not do so unto the Lord; either, 1. Not offer him that indignity and injury to worship other gods together with him. Or rather, 2. Not worship him in such manner as they worshipped their gods, to wit, by offering thy children to him, as they did to their gods, as it here follows, or by their…