Deuteronomy 12:1-14
Summary for Deut 12:1: 12:1–26:15 a After Moses laid out the principles of the covenant (5:1–11:32 b), he moved to the application of these principles in everyday life. Passages in this section expand on the Ten Commandments and cover some of the contingencies that inevitably arise in the complexity of human relationships.12:2 c green tree: The Canaanites selected groves of trees for worship sites because their lush foliage demonstrated fertility. Sometimes trees were stylized in the form of wooden poles driven into the ground and dedicated to the worship of the mother goddess, Asherah (see 7:5 d).
12:3 e sacred pillars: See study note on 7:5.
• Asherah poles: The feminine counterpart to the sacred pillar was a wooden pole dedicated to the mother goddess, Asherah.
• erase the names: With the destruction of all idols and every vestige of pagan worship, the names of these deities would be forgotten. Future generations would know nothing of them (see also study note on 7:24).
12:5 f his name will be honored: The name of the Lord represents the Lord himself. God lived among his people in a designated location by placing his name there (see Exod 3:13-14 g).
12:6 h All of the offerings listed here are expressions of thanksgiving, fellowship, and loyalty to the Lord. In covenant relationships, the vassal offered tribute to the great king as a sign of submission and a promise of dependability (see study note on 1:31).
12:8 i doing as you please: Until the Exodus, the Israelites probably worshiped at multiple shrines in Egypt. With the construction of the Tabernacle, worship was centralized and remained so with the later building of the Temple. In the future, the community would be required to assemble on stated occasions to worship the Lord collectively at the central sanctuary, although local worship by individuals, families, and even villages would continue (see Exod 20:24-26 j; 1 Sam 9:11-14 k).
12:12 l The Levites, descendants of Jacob’s son Levi, were set apart to serve the Lord full time in Israel’s religious life (Num 18:1-7 m). The primary task of the Levites was to assist the priests in their various responsibilities. Because the priests and the Levites could not engage in secular pursuits, they depended on the generosity of Israel’s other tribes for their livelihood (Num 18:21-24 n).
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