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Deuteronomy 12

Old Testament · Brenton Septuagint with Greek parallel

Deuteronomy chapter 12 is given here in full, verse by verse, in Sir Lancelot Brenton's classic English translation of the Septuagint (LXX), with the Greek text of the Septuagint set beneath each verse. The text follows the Septuagint tradition received throughout the Orthodox Church.

Patristic commentary for this chapter has not yet been attached. The translator's notes for this chapter (3) follow the text. Related material may be found among the Church Fathers and the theology tables.

Deuteronomy 12

1And these are the ordinances and the judgments, which you shall observe to do in the land, which the Lord God of your fathers gives you for an inheritance, all the days which you live upon the land.Καὶ ταῦτα τὰ προστάγματα καὶ αἱ κρίσεις, ἃς φυλάξετε τοῦ ποιεῖν ἐν τῇ γῇ, ἣν Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς τῶν πατέρων ὑμῶν δίδωσιν ὑμῖν ἐν κλήρῳ, πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας, ἃς ὑμεῖς ζῆτε ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς.

2You shall utterly destroy all the places in which they served their gods, whose land you inherit, on the high mountains and on the hills, and under the thick tree.Ἀπωλίᾳ ἀπολεῖτε πάντας τοὺς τόπους ἐν οἷς ἐλάτρευσαν ἐκεῖ τοῖς θεοῖς αὐτῶν, οὓς ὑμεῖς κληρονομεῖτε αὐτοὺς, ἐπὶ τῶν ὀρέων τῶν ὑψηλῶν, καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν θινῶν, καὶ ὑποκάτω δένδρου δασέος·

3And you shall destroy their altars, and break in pieces their pillars, and you shall cut down their groves, and you shall burn with fire the graven images of their gods, and you shall abolish their name out of that place.Καὶ κατασκάψετε τοὺς βωμοὺς αὐτῶν, καὶ συντρίψετε τὰς στήλας αὐτῶν, καὶ τὰ ἄλση αὐτῶν ἐκκόψετε, καὶ τὰ γλυπτὰ τῶν θεῶν αὐτῶν κατακαύσετε πυρί, καὶ ἀπολεῖτε τὸ ὄνομα αὐτῶν ἐκ τοῦ τόπου ἐκείνου.

4You shall not do so to the Lord your God.Οὐ ποιήσετε οὕτω Κυρίῳ τῷ Θεῷ ὑμῶν.

5But in the place which the Lord your God shall choose in one of your cities to name his name there, and to be called upon, you shall even seek him out and go there.Ἀλλʼ ἢ εἰς τὸν τόπον, ὃν ἂν ἐκλέξηται Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου ἐν μιᾷ τῶν πόλεων ὑμῶν ἐπονομάσαι τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ἐκεῖ καὶ ἐπικληθῆναι, καὶ ἐκζητήσετε καὶ ἐλεύσεσθε ἐκεῖ.

6And you shall carry there your whole burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, and your first fruits, and your * vowed-offerings, and your free will offerings, and your offerings of thanksgiving, the firstborn of your herds, and of your flocks.Καὶ οἴσετε ἐκεῖ τὰ ὁλοκαυτώματα ὑμων, καὶ τὰ θυσιάσματα ὑμῶν, καὶ τὰς ἀπαρχὰς ὑμῶν, καὶ τὰς εὐχὰς ὑμῶν, καὶ τὰ ἐκούσια ὑμῶν, καὶ τὰς ὁμολογίας ὑμῶν, τὰ πρωτότοκα τῶν βοῶν ὑμῶν, καὶ τῶν προβάτων ὑμῶν.

7And you shall eat there before the Lord your God, and you shall rejoice in all the things on which you shall lay your hand, you and your houses, as the Lord your God has blessed you.Καὶ φάγεσθε ἐκεῖ ἐναντίον Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ ὑμῶν, καὶ εὐφρανθήσεσθε ἐπὶ πᾶσιν, οὗ ἐὰν ἐπιβάλητε τὴν χεῖρα ὑμεῖς, καὶ οἱ οἶκοι ὑμῶν, καθότι εὐλόγησέ σε Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου.

8You shall not do altogether as we do here today, every man that which is pleasing in his own sight.Οὐ ποιήσετε πάντα ὅσα ἡμεῖς ποιοῦμεν ὧδε σήμερον, ἕκαστος τὸ ἀρεστὸν ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ·

9For hitherto you have not arrived at the rest and the inheritance, which the Lord our God gives you.Οὐ γὰρ ἥκατε ἕως τοῦ νῦν εἰς τὴν κατάπαυσιν, καὶ εἰς τὴν κληρονομίαν, ἣν Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν δίδωσιν ὑμῖν.

10And you shall go over Jordan, and shall dwell in the land, which the Lord our God takes as an inheritance for you; and he shall give you rest from all your enemies round about, and you shall dwell safely.Καὶ διαβήσεσθε τὸν Ἰορδάνην, καὶ κατοικήσετε ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ἧς Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν κατακληρονομεῖ ὑμῖν, καὶ καταπαύσει ὑμᾶς ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν ἐχθρῶν ὑμῶν τῶν κύκλῳ, καὶ κατοικήσετε μετὰ ἀσφαλείας.

11And there shall be a place which the Lord your God shall choose for his name to be called there, there shall you bring all things that I order you today; your whole burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and the first fruits of your hands, and every choice gift of yours, whatever you shall vow to the Lord your God.Καὶ ἔσται ὁ τόπος, ὃν ἂν ἐκλέξηται Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου ἐπικληθῆναι τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ἐκεῖ, ἐκεῖ οἴσετε πάντα ὅσα ἐγὼ ἐντέλλομαι ὑμῖν σήμερον· τὰ ὁλοκαυτώματα ὑμῶν, καὶ τὰ θυσιάσματα ὑμῶν, καὶ τὰ ἐπιδέκατα ὑμῶν, καὶ τὰς ἀπαρχὰς τῶν χειρῶν ὑμῶν, καὶ πᾶν ἐκλεκτὸν τῶν δώρων ὑμῶν, ὅσα ἂν εὔξησθε Κυρίῳ τῷ Θεῷ ὑμῶν.

12And you shall rejoice before the Lord your God, you and your sons, and your daughters, and your menservants and your maidservants, and the Levite that is at your gates; because he has no portion or inheritance with you.Καὶ εὐφρανθήσεσθε ἐναντίον Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ ὑμῶν, ὑμεῖς καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ ὑμῶν, καὶ αἱ θυγατέρες ὑμῶν, καὶ οἱ παῖδες ὑμῶν, καὶ αἱ παιδίσκαι ὑμῶν, καὶ ὁ Λευίτης ὁ ἐπὶ τῶν πυλῶν ὑμῶν· ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν αὐτῷ μερὶς οὐδὲ κλῆρος μεθʼ ὑμῶν.

13Take heed to yourself that you offer not your whole burnt offerings in any place which you shall see;Πρόσεχε σεαυτῷ, μὴ ἀνενέγκῃς τὰ ὁλοκαυτώματά σου ἐν παντὶ τόπῳ οὗ ἐὰν ἴδῃς.

14save in the place which the Lord your God shall choose, in one of your tribes, there shall you offer your whole burnt offerings, and there shall you do all things whatever I charge you this day.Ἀλλʼ ἢ εἰς τὸν τόπον, ὃν ἂν ἐκλέξεται Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου αὐτὸν, ἐν μιᾷ τῶν φυλῶν σου, ἐκεῖ ἀνοίσετε τὰ ὁλοκαυτώματα ὑμῶν, καὶ ἐκεῖ ποιήσεις πάντα ὅσα ἐγὼ ἐντέλλομαί σοι σήμερον.

15But you shall kill according to all your desire, and shall eat flesh according to the blessing of the Lord your God, which he has given you in every city; the unclean that is within you and the clean shall eat it on equal terms, as the doe or the stag.Ἀλλʼ ἢ ἐν πάσῃ ἐπιθυμίᾳ σου θύσεις, καὶ φαγῇ κρέα κατὰ τὴν εὐλογίαν Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ σου, ἣν ἔδωκέ σοι ἐν πάσῃ πόλει· ὁ ἀκάθαρτος ἐν σοὶ καὶ ὁ καθαρὸς ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτό φάγεται αὐτό, ὡς δορκάδα ἢ ἔλαφον.

16Only you shall not eat the blood; you shall pour it out on the ground as water.Πλὴν τὸ αἷμα οὐ φάγεσθε· ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν ἐκχεεῖτε αὐτὸ, ὡς ὕδωρ.

17You shall not be able to eat in your cities the tithe of your corn, and of your wine, and of your oil, the firstborn of your herd and of your flock, and all your vows as many as you shall have vowed, and your thank-offerings, and the first fruits of your hands.Οὐ δυνήσῃ φαγεῖν ἐν ταῖς πόλεσί σου τὸ ἐπιδέκατον τοῦ σίτου σου, καὶ τοῦ οἴνου σου, καὶ τοῦ ἐλαίου σου, τὰ πρωτότοκα τῶν βοῶν σου, καὶ τῶν προβάτων σαυ, καὶ πάσας τὰς εὐχὰς, ὅσας ἂν εὔξησθε, καὶ τὰς ὁμολογίας ὑμῶν, καὶ τὰς ἀπαρχὰς τῶν χειρῶν σου.

18But before the Lord your God you shall eat it, in the place which the Lord your God shall choose for himself, you, and your son, and your daughter, your man-servant, and your maidservant, and the stranger that is within your gates; and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God, on whatever you shall lay your hand.Ἀλλʼ ἢ ἐναντίον Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ σου φάγῃ αὐτὸ ἐν τῷ τόπῳ, ᾧ ἂν ἐκλέξηται Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου αὐτῷ, σὺ καὶ ὁ υἱός σου, καὶ ἡ θυγάτηρ σου, ὁ παῖς σου, καὶ ἡ παιδίσκη σου, καὶ ὁ προσήλυτος ὁ ἐν ταῖς πόλεσιν ὑμῶν· καὶ εὐφρανθήσῃ ἐναντίον Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ σου ἐπὶ πάντα, οὗ ἐὰν ἐπιβάλῃς τὴν χεῖρά σου.

19Take heed to yourself that you do not desert the Levite all the time that you live upon the earth.Πρόσεχε σεαυτῷ μὴ ἐγκαταλίπῃς τὸν Λευίτην πάντα τὸν χρόνον ὅσον ἂ ζῇς ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς.

20And if the Lord your God shall enlarge your borders, as he said to you, and you shall say, I will eat flesh; if your soul should desire to eat flesh, you shall eat flesh † according to all the desire of your soul.Ἐὰν δὲ ἐμπλατύνῃ Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου τὰ ὅριά σου, καθάπερ ἐλάλησέ σοι, καὶ ἐρεῖς, φάγομαι κρέα, ἐὰν ἐπιθυμήσῃ ἡ ψυχή σου ὥστε φαγεῖν κρέα, ἐν πάσῃ ἐπιθυμίᾳ τῆς ψυχῆς σου φάγῃ κρέα.

21And if the place be far from you, which the Lord your God shall choose for himself, that his name be called upon it, then you shall kill of your herd and of your flock which God shall have given you, even as I commanded you, and you shall eat in your cities according to the desire of your soul.Ἐὰν δὲ μακρὰν ἀπέχῃ σου ὁ τόπος, ὃν ἂν ἐκλέξηται Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου ἐκεῖ ἐπικληθῆναι τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ἐκεῖ, καὶ θύσεις ἀπὸ τῶν βοῶν σου, καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν προβάτων σου ὧν ἂν δῷ ὁ Θεός σοι, ὃν τρόπον ἐνετειλάμην σοι, καὶ φαγῃ ἐν ταῖς πόλεσί σου κατὰ τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν τῆς ψυχῆς σου.

22As the doe and the stag are eaten, so shall you eat it; the unclean in you and the clean shall eat it in like manner.Ὡς ἔσθεται ἡ δορκὰς καὶ ἡ ἔλαφος, οὕτω φαγῃ αὐτό· ὁ ἀκάθαρτος ἐν σοὶ καὶ ὁ καθαρὸς ὡσαύτως ἔδεται.

23Take diligent heed that you eat no blood, for blood is the life of it; the life shall not be eaten with the flesh.Πρόσεχε ἰσχυρῶς τοῦ μὴ φαγεῖν αἷμα, ὅτι αἷμα αὐτοῦ ψυχή· οὐ βρωθήσεται ψυχὴ μετὰ τῶν κρεῶν.

24You shall not eat it; you shall pour it out on the ground as water.Οὐ φάγεσθε· ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν ἐκχεεῖτε αὐτὸ ὡς ὕδωρ.

25You shall not eat it, that it may be well with you and with your sons after you, if you shall do that which is good and pleasing before the Lord your God.Οὐ φαγῇ αὐτὸ, ἵνα εὖ σοι γένηται καὶ τοῖς υἱοῖς σου μετὰ σὲ, ἐὰν ποιήσῃς τὸ καλὸν καὶ τὸ ἀρεστὸν ἐναντίον Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ σου.

26But you shall take your holy things, if you have any, and your vowed-offerings, and come to the place which the Lord your God shall choose to have his name named upon it.Πλὴν τὰ ἅγιά σου ἐὰν γένηταί σοι, καὶ τὰς εὐχάς σου λαβὼν ἥξεις εἰς τὸν τόπον, ὃν ἂν ἐκλέξηται Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου ἐπικληθῆναι τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ἐκεῖ.

27And you shall sacrifice your whole burnt offerings, you shall offer the flesh upon the altar of the Lord your God; but the blood of your sacrifices you shall pour out at the foot of the altar of the Lord your God, but the flesh you shall eat.Καὶ ποιήσεις τὰ ὁλοκαυτώματά σου, τὰ κρέα ἀνοίσεις ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ σου· τὸ δὲ αἷμα τῶν θυσιῶν σου προσχεεῖς πρὸς τὴν βάσιν τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ σου, τὰ δὲ κρέα φαγῇ.

28Beware and listen, and you shall do all the commands which I charge you, that it may be well with you and with your sons for ever, if you shall do that which is pleasing and good before the Lord your God.Φυλάσσου καὶ ἄκουε καὶ ποιήσεις πάντας τοὺς λόγους οὓς ἐγὼ ἐντέλλομαί σοι, ἵνα εὖ σοι γένηται καὶ τοῖς υἱοῖς σου διʼ αἰῶνος, ἐὰν ποιήσῃς τὸ ἀρεστὸν καὶ τὸ καλὸν ἐναντίον Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ σου.

29And if the Lord your God shall utterly destroy the nations, to whom you go in there to inherit their land, from before you, and you shall inherit it, and dwell in their land;Ἐὰν δὲ ἐξολοθρεύσῃ Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου τὰ ἔθνη, εἰς οὓς εἰσπορεύῃ ἐκεῖ κληρονομῆσαι τὴν γῆν αὐτῶν, ἀπὸ προσώπου σου, καὶ κατακληρονομήσῃς αὐτὴν, καὶ κατοικήσῃς ἐν τῇ γῇ αὐτῶν,

30take heed to yourself that you seek not to follow them after they are destroyed before you, saying, How do these nations act towards their gods? I will do likewise.πρόσεχε σεαυτῷ μὴ ἐκζητήσῃς ἐπακολουθῆσαι αὐτοῖς μετὰ τὸ ἐξολοθρευθῆναι αὐτοὺς ἀπὸ προσώπου σου, λέγων, πῶς ποιοῦσι τὰ ἔθνη ταῦτα τοῖς θεοῖς αὐτῶν; ποιήσω κᾀγώ.

31You shall not do so to your God; for they have sacrificed ‡ to their gods the abominations of the Lord which he hates, for they burn their sons and their daughters in fire to their gods.Οὐ ποιήσεις οὕτω τῷ Θεῷ σου· τὰ γὰρ βδελύματα Κυρίου ἃ ἐμίσησεν, ἐποίησαν ἐν τοῖς θεοῖς αὐτῶν, ὅτι τοὺς υἱοὺς αὐτῶν, καὶ τὰς θυγατέρας αὐτῶν κατακαίουσιν ἐν πυρὶ τοῖς θεοῖς αὐτῶν.

32Every word that I command you this day, it shall you observe to do: you shall not add to it, nor diminish from it.

Translator's Notes

These notes come from the printed edition of Sir Lancelot Brenton's classic English translation of the Septuagint (LXX), and record where the Greek differs from the English rendering or admits more than one reading.

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