Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 12:1–4

¹These are the statutes and ordinances you must be careful to follow all the days you live in the land that the LORD, the God of your fathers, has given you to possess.

²Destroy completely all the places where the nations you are dispossessing have served their gods— atop the high mountains, on the hills, and under every green tree. ³Tear down their altars, smash their sacred pillars, burn up their Asherah poles, cut down the idols of their gods, and wipe out their names from every place. ⁴You shall not worship the LORD your God in this way.

Read all of Deuteronomy 12

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Deuteronomy 12:1

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
These	אֵ֠לֶּה	’êl·leh	Pronoun - common plural	H428 these
the statutes	הַֽחֻקִּ֣ים	ha·ḥuq·qîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H2706 something prescribed, a statute or due
and ordinances	וְהַמִּשְׁפָּטִים֮	wə·ham·miš·pā·ṭîm	Conjunctive waw, Article; Noun - masculine plural	H4941 judgment
you must be careful	תִּשְׁמְר֣וּן	tiš·mə·rūn	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural; Paragogic nun	H8104 keep, watch, preserve
to follow	לַעֲשׂוֹת֒	la·‘ă·śō·wṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H6213 do, make
all	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
the days	הַיָּמִ֔ים	hay·yā·mîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H3117 day
you	אַתֶּ֥ם	’at·tem	Pronoun - second person masculine plural	H859 thou
live	חַיִּ֖ים	ḥay·yîm	Noun - masculine plural	H2416 alive, living
in the land	בָּאָ֕רֶץ	bā·’ā·reṣ	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - feminine singular	H776 earth, land
that	אֲשֶׁ֣ר	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
the LORD	יְהוָ֜ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
the God	אֱלֹהֵ֧י	’ĕ·lō·hê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H430 God
of your fathers	אֲבֹתֶ֛יךָ	’ă·ḇō·ṯe·ḵā	Noun - masculine plural construct; second person masculine singular	H1 father
has given	נָתַ֨ן	nā·ṯan	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H5414 give, put, set
you	לְךָ֖	lə·ḵā	Preposition; second person masculine singular
to possess	לְרִשְׁתָּ֑הּ	lə·riš·tāh	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; third person feminine singular	H3423 take possession of, inherit, dispossess

Deuteronomy 12:2

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Destroy completely	אַבֵּ֣ד	’ab·bêḏ	Verb - Piel - Infinitive absolute	H6 perish
all	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
the places	הַמְּקֹמ֞וֹת	ham·mə·qō·mō·wṯ	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H4725 standing, spot, condition
where	אֲשֶׁ֧ר	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
the nations	הַגּוֹיִ֗ם	hag·gō·w·yim	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H1471 nation, people
you	אַתֶּ֛ם	’at·tem	Pronoun - second person masculine plural	H859 thou
are dispossessing	יֹרְשִׁ֥ים	yō·rə·šîm	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural	H3423 take possession of, inherit, dispossess
have served	עָֽבְדוּ־	‘ā·ḇə·ḏū-	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H5647 work, serve
their gods	אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֑ם	’ĕ·lō·hê·hem	Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine plural	H430 God
atop	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
the high	הָֽרָמִים֙	hā·rā·mîm	Article; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural	H7311 be high, exalted, rise
mountains	הֶהָרִ֤ים	he·hā·rîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H2022 mountain, hill, hill-country
on	וְעַל־	wə·‘al-	Conjunctive waw; Preposition	H5921 height
the hills	הַגְּבָע֔וֹת	hag·gə·ḇā·‘ō·wṯ	Article; Noun - feminine plural	H1389 hill
and under	וְתַ֖חַת	wə·ṯa·ḥaṯ	Conjunctive waw; Preposition	H8478 the under part
every	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
green	רַעֲנָן׃	ra·ʿă·nå̄n	Adjective - masculine singular	H7488 luxuriant, fresh
tree	עֵ֥ץ	‘êṣ	Noun - masculine singular	H6086 tree, trees, wood

Deuteronomy 12:3

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Tear down	וְנִתַּצְתֶּ֣ם	wə·nit·taṣ·tem	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural	H5422 pull down, break down
their altars	מִזְבּחֹתָ֗ם	miz·b·ḥō·ṯå̄m	Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine plural	H4196 altar
smash	וְשִׁבַּרְתֶּם֙	wə·šib·bar·tem	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural	H7665 break, break in pieces
their sacred pillars	מַצֵּ֣בֹתָ֔ם	maṣ·ṣê·ḇō·ṯām	Noun - feminine plural construct; third person masculine plural	H4676 pillar, maƒƒ¢b¹ , stump
burn up	תִּשְׂרְפ֣וּן	tiś·rə·p̄ūn	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural; Paragogic nun	H8313 burn
their Asherah poles	וַאֲשֵֽׁרֵיהֶם֙	wa·’ă·šê·rê·hem	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine plural construct; third person masculine plural	H842 Ashera
cut down	תְּגַדֵּע֑וּן	tə·ḡad·dê·‘ūn	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine plural; Paragogic nun	H1438 hew, hew down or off
the idols	וּפְסִילֵ֥י	ū·p̄ə·sî·lê	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural construct	H6456 id.
of their gods	אֱלֹֽהֵיהֶ֖ם	’ĕ·lō·hê·hem	Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine plural	H430 God
and wipe out	וְאִבַּדְתֶּ֣ם	wə·’ib·baḏ·tem	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural	H6 perish
their names	שְׁמָ֔ם	šə·mām	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H8034 name
from	מִן־	min-	Preposition	H4480 out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not
every place	הַמָּק֖וֹם	ham·mā·qō·wm	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H4725 standing, spot, condition

Deuteronomy 12:4

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
You shall not	לֹֽא־	lō-	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
worship	תַעֲשׂ֣וּן	ṯa·‘ă·śūn	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural; Paragogic nun	H6213 do, make
the LORD	לַיהוָ֖ה	Yah·weh	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
your God	אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃	’ĕ·lō·hê·ḵem	Noun - masculine plural construct; second person masculine plural	H430 God
in this way	כֵּ֔ן	kên	Adverb	H3651 right, veritable, honest