Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 12:2–5

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.

⁵Instead, you must seek the place the LORD your God will choose from among all your tribes to establish as a dwelling for His Name, and there you must go.

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 12:2

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

Deuteronomy 12:5

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Instead	כִּ֠י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
you must seek	תִדְרְשׁ֖וּ	ṯiḏ·rə·šū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural	H1875 resort to, seek
the place	הַמָּק֞וֹם	ham·mā·qō·wm	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H4725 standing, spot, condition
the LORD	יְהוָ֤ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
your God	אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶם֙	’ĕ·lō·hê·ḵem	Noun - masculine plural construct; second person masculine plural	H430 God
will choose	יִבְחַ֨ר	yiḇ·ḥar	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H977 choose
from among all	מִכָּל־	mik·kāl	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
your tribes	שִׁבְטֵיכֶ֔ם	šiḇ·ṭê·ḵem	Noun - masculine plural construct; second person masculine plural	H7626 rod, staff, club, sceptre
to establish	לָשׂ֥וּם	lā·śūm	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H7760 put, place, set
as a dwelling	לְשִׁכְנ֥וֹ	lə·šiḵ·nōw	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; third person masculine singular	H7931 settle down, abide, dwell
for His Name	שְׁמ֖וֹ	šə·mōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H8034 name
and there	שָֽׁמָּה׃	šām·māh	Adverb; third person feminine singular	H8033 there, thither
you must go	וּבָ֥אתָ	ū·ḇā·ṯā	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular	H935 come in, come, go in, go