Deuteronomy 12

“These are the statutes and judgments, which ye shall observe to do in the land, which the LORD God of thy fathers…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations which ye shall possess served their gods, upon the high…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“And ye shall overthrow their altars, and break their pillars, and burn their groves with fire; and ye shall hew down…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“Ye shall not do so unto the LORD your God.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“But unto the place which the LORD your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“And thither ye shall bring your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and heave offerings of your…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“And there ye shall eat before the LORD your God, and ye shall rejoice in all that ye put your hand unto, ye and your…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“Ye shall not do after all the things that we do here this day, every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“For ye are not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance, which the LORD your God giveth you.” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“But when ye go over Jordan, and dwell in the land which the LORD your God giveth you to inherit, and when he giveth…” The promise, blessing, or covenant language needs its named recipient and scope. Those details prevent a personal word in the story from becoming a promise detached from context.

“Then there shall be a place which the LORD your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell there; thither shall ye…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“And ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God, ye, and your sons, and your daughters, and your menservants, and your…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“Take heed to thyself that thou offer not thy burnt offerings in every place that thou seest:” Naming Take keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“But in the place which the LORD shall choose in one of thy tribes, there thou shalt offer thy burnt offerings, and…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“Notwithstanding thou mayest kill and eat flesh in all thy gates, whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, according to the…” Naming Notwithstanding keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Only ye shall not eat the blood; ye shall pour it upon the earth as water.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“Thou mayest not eat within thy gates the tithe of thy corn, or of thy wine, or of thy oil, or the firstlings of thy…” Naming Thou keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“But thou must eat them before the LORD thy God in the place which the LORD thy God shall choose, thou, and thy son…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“Take heed to thyself that thou forsake not the Levite as long as thou livest upon the earth.” Naming Levite and Take keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“When the LORD thy God shall enlarge thy border, as he hath promised thee, and thou shalt say, I will eat flesh…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“If the place which the LORD thy God hath chosen to put his name there be too far from thee, then thou shalt kill of…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“Even as the roebuck and the hart is eaten, so thou shalt eat them: the unclean and the clean shall eat of them alike.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“Only be sure that thou eat not the blood: for the blood is the life; and thou mayest not eat the life with the flesh.” Naming Only keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Thou shalt not eat it; thou shalt pour it upon the earth as water.” Naming Thou keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Thou shalt not eat it; that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, when thou shalt do that which…” Naming Thou keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Only thy holy things which thou hast, and thy vows, thou shalt take, and go unto the place which the LORD shall…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“And thou shalt offer thy burnt offerings, the flesh and the blood, upon the altar of the LORD thy God: and the blood…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“Observe and hear all these words which I command thee, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee…” Naming Observe keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“When the LORD thy God shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.

“Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God: for every abomination to the LORD , which he hateth, have they done unto…” Naming Thou keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.” The line’s distinctive content terms include command, diminish, observe. Its relationship to verses 31 shows what work it does in this passage.