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英文原文
Moses at this chapter comes to the particular statues which he had to give in charge to Israel, and he begins with those which relate to the worship of God, and particularly those which explain the second commandment, about which God is in a special manner jealous. I. They must utterly destroy all relics and remains of idolatry, De 12:1-3. II. They must keep close to the tabernacle, De 12:4,5. The former precept was intended to prevent all false worship, the latter to preserve the worship God had instituted. By this latter law, 1. They are commanded to bring all their offerings to the altar of God, and all their holy things to the place which he should choose, De 12:6,7,11,12,14,18,26-28. 2. They are forbidden, in general, to do as they now did in the wilderness (De 12:8-11), and as the Canaanites had done (De 12:29-32), and, in particular, to eat the hallowed things at their own houses (De 12:13,17,18), or to forsake the instituted ministry, De 12:19. 3. They are permitted to eat flesh as common food at their own houses, provided they do not eat the blood, De 12:15,16, and again, De 12:20-26.
1-4
Relics of Idolatry to Be Destroyed (1451 BC)
当毁灭拜偶像的遗迹（主前1451年）
¹ 你们存活在世的日子，在耶和华你们列祖的神所赐你们为业的地上，要谨守遵行的律例典章乃是这些： ² 你们要将所赶出国民事奉他们神的各处，无论是在高山上、在小山上、在各青翠树下，都尽行毁坏； ³ 也要拆毁他们的祭坛，打碎他们的柱像，用火焚烧他们的木偶，砍下他们雕刻的神像，并将其名从那地方除灭。 ⁴ 你们不可照他们那样事奉耶和华你们的神。
从那两条伟大的根本真理——即神存在，且只有一位神——便生出两条根本的律法：这位神当受敬拜，且惟独祂当受敬拜；因此我们不可在祂以外有别神。这是第一条诫命，第二条则是它的护卫，或说围绕它的篱笆。为防止人转向假神，我们被禁止用假神所受的那种方式来敬拜真神，并且被命令遵守所设立的敬拜典章，好叫我们专心依附那正当的敬拜对象。正因如此，摩西在阐释第二条诫命时着墨甚多。本章及随后四章所载大多与此相关。『这些律例典章』他们当『谨守遵行』（申12:1），1. 在他们安息昌盛、作迦南主人的日子。我们不可以为我们的宗教只是为奴之年的功课、独居之处的消遣、苦难中的安慰而已；不，当我们得以进入美地为业，仍要在迦南如同在旷野一样维持对神的敬拜；当我们长大成人，仍要像年幼时那样；当我们事务繁忙，仍要像无所事事时那样。2. 『所有的日子』，只要你们『存活在世』。当我们在此处于受试炼的境地，就必须持守顺服直到末了，永不离弃本分，也不可对行善生厌。如今，
I. 他们在此受命要废除并根除迦南人事奉偶像所用的一切事物，申12:2,3。此处并未提及偶像庙宇，这印证了一些人的见解：摩西在旷野所立的会幕，是人类有史以来为宗教用途而建造的第一座居所，殿宇即由此而起。但那些曾使用、如今当被夷平的地方，乃是他们在『高山小山』上（仿佛地势的高度有助于他们虔诚之心的升腾）以及在青翠树下（或因其悦目，或因其可畏）举行敬拜的场所：凡能使人内心安宁与肃穆、使之收敛凝神的，都被认为有助于虔诚。丛林中肃穆的浓荫与静默，至今仍为好沉思者所喜爱。但外邦人得以在隐遁之处敬拜偶像，其好处在于能遮掩那些不能见光的黑暗之工；所以这一切都必须被毁掉，连同当地居民用来敬拜他们神的祭坛、柱像和神像，务使它们的名字被埋没于遗忘之中，不仅不当存敬意地记念，甚至完全不当记念。如此他们当顾及：1. 本国的声誉；不可让人论到这圣地说它曾被如此玷污，而当将这些秽物尽行清除，作为可耻之物。2. 信仰的安全；一物也不可留存，免得那些不敬虔、不思想的人，尤其是在堕落的时代，竟拿这些来事奉以色列的神。当将这些瘟疫之屋拆毁，作为可惧之物。摩西以这一条开始关于敬拜的律例，因为必须先有对恶的憎嫌，才能坚定地依附于善，罗12:9。神的国必须建立在魔鬼之国的废墟上，无论在人心或在地点上都是如此；因为二者不能并存，基督与彼列之间也不能相通。
II. 他们受命不可将拜偶像者的礼仪与惯例搬入对神的敬拜；即便以美化改良为名也不可（申12:4）：『你们不可照他们那样事奉耶和华你们的神』，意即『你们不可以为在山上、冈上献祭，竖立柱像，栽种丛林，设立神像，便是在尊敬祂；不可如此行；你们不可在敬拜中放纵奢华的想象，也不可以为凡悦己者便悦神：祂超乎万神之上，不能像别神那样受敬拜。』
英文原文
Relics of Idolatry to Be Destroyed (1451 BC)
¹ These are the statutes and judgments, which ye shall observe to do in the land, which the LORD God of thy fathers giveth thee to possess it, all the days that ye live upon the earth.
² Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations which ye shall possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree:
³ And ye shall overthrow their altars, and break their pillars, and burn their groves with fire; and ye shall hew down the graven images of their gods, and destroy the names of them out of that place.
⁴ Ye shall not do so unto the LORD your God.
From those great original truths, That there is a God, and that there is but one God, arise those great fundamental laws, That that God is to be worshipped, and he only, and that therefore we are to have no other God before him: this is the first commandment, and the second is a guard upon it, or a hedge about it. To prevent a revolt to false gods, we are forbidden to worship the true God in such a way and manner as the false gods were worshipped in, and are commanded to observe the instituted ordinances of worship that we may adhere to the proper object of worship. For this reason Moses is very large in his exposition of the second commandment. What is contained in this and the four following chapters mostly refers to that. These are statutes and judgments which they must observe to do (De 12:1), 1. In the days of their rest and prosperity, when they should be masters of Canaan. We must not think that our religion is instituted only to be our work in the years of our servitude, our entertainment in the places of our solitude, and our consolation in affliction; no, when we come to possess a good land, still we must keep up the worship of God in Canaan as well as in a wilderness, when we have grown up as well as when we are children, when we are full of business as well as when we have nothing else to do. 2. All the days, as long as you live upon the earth. While we are here in our state of trial, we must continue in our obedience, even to the end, and never leave our duty, nor grow weary of well-doing. Now,
I. They are here charged to abolish and extirpate all those things that the Canaanites had served their idol-gods with, De 12:2,3. Here is no mention of idol-temples, which countenances the opinion some have, that the tabernacle Moses reared in the wilderness was the first habitation that ever was made for religious uses, and that from it temples took their rise. But the places that had been used, and were now to be levelled, were enclosures for their worship on mountains and hills (as if the height of the ground would give advantage to the ascent of their devotions), and under green trees, either because pleasant or because awful: whatever makes the mind easy and reverent, contracts and composes it, was thought to befriend devotion. The solemn shade and silence of a grove are still admired by those that are disposed to contemplation. But the advantage which these retirements gave to the Gentiles in the worship of their idols was that they concealed those works of darkness which could not bear the light; and therefore they must all be destroyed, with the altars, pillars, and images, that had been used by the natives in the worship of their gods, so as that the very names of them might be buried in oblivion, and not only not be remembered with respect, but not remembered at all. They must thus consult, 1. The reputation of their land; let it never be said of this holy land that it had been thus polluted, but let all these dunghills be carried away, as things they were ashamed of. 2. The safety of their religion; let none be left remaining, lest profane unthinking people, especially in degenerate ages, should make use of them in the service of the God of Israel. Let these pest-houses be demolished, as things they were afraid of. He begins the statutes that relate to divine worship with this, because there must first be an abhorrence of that which is evil before there can be a steady adherence to that which is good, Ro 12:9. The kingdom of God must be set up, both in persons and places, upon the ruins of the devil's kingdom; for they cannot stand together, nor can there be any communion between Christ and Belial.
II. They are charged not to transfer the rites and usages of idolaters into he worship of God; no, not under colour of beautifying and improving it (De 12:4): You shall not do so to the Lord your god, that is, "you must not think to do honour to him by offering sacrifices on mountains and hills, erecting pillars, planting groves, and setting up images; no, you must not indulge a luxurious fancy in your worship, nor think that whatever pleases that will please God: he is above all gods, and will not be worshipped as other gods are."
5-32
Where Sacrifices Must Be Offered; Ceremonial Observances; Cautions Against Idolatrous Rites (1451 BC)
献祭之所；礼仪规条；防偶像仪式之警戒（公元前1451年）
⁵ 但耶和华你们的神从你们各支派中，选择何处作为立祂名的居所，你们就要到那居所去求问，到那里去， ⁶ 将你们的燔祭、平安祭、十分取一之物、和手中的举祭、还愿祭、甘心祭，以及牛群羊群中头生的，都奉到那里。 ⁷ 在那里，耶和华你们的神面前，你们和你们的家属都可以吃；并且因你手所办的一切事，蒙耶和华你的神赐福，就都欢乐。 ⁸ 我们今日在这里所行的是各人行自己眼中看为正的事，你们将来不可这样行； ⁹ 因为你们还没有到耶和华你神所赐你的安息地，所给你的产业。 ¹⁰ 但你们过了约旦河，得以住在耶和华你们神使你们承受为业之地，又使你们太平，不被四围的一切仇敌扰乱，安然居住； ¹¹ 那时要将我所吩咐你们的燔祭、平安祭、十分取一之物、和手中的举祭，并向耶和华许愿的各样至好的祭，都奉到耶和华你们神所选择立祂名的居所。 ¹² 你们和儿女、仆婢，并住在你们城里无分无业的利未人，都要在耶和华你们的神面前欢乐。 ¹³ 你当谨慎，不可在你所看中的各处献燔祭。 ¹⁴ 惟独耶和华从你那一支派中所选择的地方，你要在那里献燔祭，在那里行我一切所吩咐你的。 ¹⁵ 然而在你各城里，都可以照耶和华你神所赐你的福分，随心所欲地宰牲吃肉；不洁净的人和洁净的人都可以吃，就如羚羊与鹿一般。 ¹⁶ 只是不可吃血，要倒在地上，如同倒水一样。 ¹⁷ 你的五谷、新酒、和油的十分之一，或是牛群羊群中头生的，或是你许的愿、甘心献的祭，或手中的举祭，都不可在你各城里吃； ¹⁸ 但要在耶和华你的神面前吃，在耶和华你神所要选择的地方，你和你的儿女、仆婢，并住在你们城里的利未人，都可以吃；也要因你手所办的，在耶和华你的神面前欢乐。 ¹⁹ 你在地上存活的日子，你总要谨慎，不可撇弃利未人。 ²⁰ 耶和华你的神照祂所应许扩张你境界的时候，你心里想要吃肉，说：我要吃肉；你就可以随心所欲地吃肉。 ²¹ 耶和华你神所选择立祂名的地方，若离你太远，就可以照我所吩咐的，将耶和华赐给你的牛羊宰了，在各城里随心所欲地吃。 ²² 你吃那肉，要像吃羚羊与鹿一般；无论洁净人不洁净人都可以吃。 ²³ 只是你要确实知道：不可吃血，因为血就是生命；你不可将生命与肉同吃。 ²⁴ 不可吃血，要倒在地上，如同倒水一样。 ²⁵ 不可吃血，使你和你的子孙可以得福；因为你行了耶和华眼中看为正的事。 ²⁶ 但你分别为圣的物和你的还愿祭，要奉到耶和华所选择的地方去。 ²⁷ 你的燔祭，连肉带血，都要献在耶和华你神的坛上；至于你平安祭的血，要倒在耶和华你神的坛上，然后你才可以吃那肉。 ²⁸ 你要谨守听从我所吩咐的一切话，使你和你的子孙可以永远得福，因为你行了耶和华你的神眼中看为善为正的事。 ²⁹ 耶和华你的神将你所要进去得为业的列国之民，从你面前剪除的时候，你就得了他们的地，住在其中； ³⁰ 那时你要谨慎，不可在他们被除灭之后随从他们的恶俗，陷入网罗；也不可求问他们的神，说：这些国民怎样事奉他们的神，我也要照样行。 ³¹ 你不可向耶和华你的神这样行；因为他们向他们的神所行的，尽是耶和华所憎嫌所恨恶的；甚至将自己的儿女用火焚烧，献给他们的神。 ³² 凡我所吩咐的，你们都要谨守遵行，不可加添，也不可删减。
摩西律法中（据我所记）没有一条特别的诫命像这条这样被这样郑重反复地强调——命他们一切祭物都要带到设在会幕院中的那惟一的坛那里，在那里举行他们宗教的各样礼仪；因为至于道德上的事奉，那时无疑也如今日一样，人随处都可以祷告，正如他们在会堂里所行的。这条命令和禁止反行的禁令在此反复出现，正如我们教孩子一样；然而我们确知圣经中并无虚空的重复；这里所以如此强调，原因在于：
1. 由于百姓的心极度倾向于偶像崇拜和迷信，他们四围将有许多试探诱惑，大有被引诱之险。 2. 由于遵守这一安排对他们大有裨益，既能防止敬拜中混入败坏的风俗，又能保守他们中间的合一和弟兄之爱——大家都在一处聚集，就能持续同心同道。 3. 由于这一安排的象征意义。他们必须固定在一处，作为他们信仰这两大真理的记号——这两大真理我们在新约中一起看见（提前2:5）：只有一位神， 在神和人中间只有一位中保。 这不仅有助于维持神本体合一的观念，更是向他们暗示（虽然他们未能清楚辨明）：亲近神、与神相交的惟一途径，是在弥赛亚里并藉着弥赛亚。
如今让我们将这长长的吩咐归纳为以下几条：
I. 此处应许：他们既在迦南定居，既从仇敌手中得享安息、安然居住， 神必拣选一处，指定为他们合一的中心，他们当将一切祭物带到那里（申12:10-11）。请留意：
1. 他们既被限于到一处，就必不致对该处心存疑惑，必确知是何处。倘若基督在福音之下要使某处像罗马所自称的那样作为权柄的中心，我们就不会如今这样缺乏关于所定之处的指示。 2. 神不将选择之权留给他们，免得各支派为此相争——各自为属世的好处力争要设在己处；祂将选择之权归于自己，正如祂保留了救赎主的指定和圣礼的设立。 3. 神此时并不指定该地，不像祂曾指定基利心山和以巴路山以宣告祝福和咒诅那样（申11:29），而是等到将来才指定——好叫他们指望在天上更进一步的指示，指望在摩西被接去之后仍有神的引导。神所要拣选之地，称为祂立祂名之处，即祂要称为己有之处，祂的尊荣所居之处，祂向祂的子民显现并使他们认识祂之处（如人借其名而被认识），也是祂接受朝见之处——在其间祂的名既被颂赞又被求告。这是祂的居所——祂在那里如以色列的王设朝，凡敬虔寻求祂的都可在那里寻见。约柜是神同在的象征，约柜置于何处，神就在那里立祂的名，那就是祂的居所。其中存有律法版；因为凡不愿从祂口中领受律法的人，休想从祂手中得恩。神首先拣选使约柜常驻之地是示罗；那地既因罪失了它的尊荣，我们看见约柜在基列·耶琳等处；但最后在大卫的时代，它被定于耶路撒冷，神论所罗门的圣殿，比论任何别处更为明确地说：我已选择这殿作献祭之所（代下7:12；参代下6:5）。如今在福音之下，我们没有使金子成圣的殿，没有使礼物成圣的坛，惟独基督而已；至于敬拜之所，先知预言在各处必有人献上馨香的灵祭（玛1:11）。我们的主也宣告：凡以心灵和诚实敬拜神的，才是真正的敬拜者，并不分在这山上或在耶路撒冷（约4:23）。
II. 他们受命将一切燔祭和祭物带到神所要拣选的这地方（申12:6，又申12:11）：在那里要将我所吩咐你们的一切都奉上； 又（申12:14）在那里献燔祭； 又（申12:27）肉与血都要献在耶和华你神的坛上。 至于他们的平安祭（此处称为他们的祭物），虽然他们要吃那肉， 但血要倒在坛上。 由此他们受教：神并不愿为祭物本身的缘故而悦纳它们，也不是因它们本身有什么内在价值——作为天然归顺敬拜的表达；它们所以有效，完全因为所献在其上的坛所预表的基督。反之，祷告和颂赞既更必要也更有价值，所以无论何处，神的子民每日都当献上。一个虔诚的以色列人即使也许数月之久没有机会献祭于坛前，仍然可以荣耀神、与神相交、从祂得怜悯。但这预表我们基督徒当奉耶稣基督的名向神献上一切属灵的祭，惟靠祂的中保之功指望蒙悦纳（彼前2:5）。
III. 他们受命在耶和华面前以圣洁的喜乐吃他们分别为圣的物。他们不仅当将献给神的祭物带到坛前，也当将律法所命他们为荣耀神而吃的一切吃喝之物，作为与祂相交的记号，带到坛的所在（申12:6）。他们的十分取一之物和手中的举祭（即初熟之物）、还愿祭、甘心祭、头生的——凡按律法当虔诚使用或为自己或为祭司利未人所用的，都要带到神所拣选之处；正如王国的各项税收都从全国各地纳入国库。又（申12:7）：在那里你们要在耶和华面前吃，并因你们手所办的一切欢乐； 又（申12:12）你们和儿女、仆婢都要在耶和华面前欢乐。
请留意：
1. 我们在事奉神和为荣耀神所作的事上，若非自己的过错，至终必归自己的益处。献祭给神的人也欢迎在祂面前吃，在祭物上坐席：祂与我们一同坐席， 我们与祂一同坐席（启3:20）。我们若荣耀神，就在恩典中造就自己、培养自己的心灵——藉着知识和信心的加增、敬虔情感的振奋，以及圣洁的习惯和决意的坚固：心灵由此得着滋养。 2. 为神所作的工当带着圣洁的喜乐和愉快而行。你们要吃并且欢乐（申12:7，又申12:12、18）。 (1.) 在耶和华面前时当欢乐（申12:12）。神的旨意是要我们以欢乐事奉祂；再没有什么人比那些以眼泪遮满祂坛的人更惹祂不悦（玛2:13）。请看我们所事奉的主何其良善——祂命我们当在工作时歌唱。连儿女和仆人也要与他们一同在神面前欢乐，使宗教的事奉对他们成为快乐，而不是任务或苦役。 (2.) 他们当带回去在与神相交中所找到的那喜悦的甘甜回味；他们当因所办的一切欢乐（申12:7）。当从与神相交中带些安慰到他们日常的职任中去；心灵既如此得力，无论作什么，都当尽心乐意而行。这种在神和祂良善中的圣洁敬虔之乐——我们当常常喜乐——是抵挡虚空属肉体的娱乐之罪和陷阱的最好良方，也是抵挡世俗忧愁的安慰。
IV. 他们受命善待利未人。他们既欢乐地设筵，利未人也当与他们同筵、同乐（申12:12，又申12:18）；并有一般的警戒（申12:19）：你要谨慎，只要你在世存活的日子，不可撇弃利未人。 在坛前作祭司助手的利未人不可被撇弃，意即他们所履行的事奉必须恒常遵守；神所立的坛之外不可另立别坛；因为这样就等于撇弃了利未人。但这话似乎指散居在乡间教训百姓律法、协助百姓灵修的利未人；因为此处所命当善待的，是住在你城里的利未人。 在我们各城里就近有利未人——可以问他们律法，在我们的筵席上作节制我们的鉴察，约束过度——这是极大的怜悯。百姓的本分是善待那些以善道教训他们、以善榜样引导他们的传道人。我们活多久就需要他们的帮助多久，直到我们到了那不再用礼仪的世界的日子；所以我们活多久， 就不可撇弃利未人。所给的理由是（申12:12）：因为利未人在你们中间无分无业， 所以不能藉耕种或经商致富；所以当让他与你同享你富足中的安慰。他们当把律法所定归于利未人的十分取一之物和祭物归给他们，因为他们没有别的养生之法。
V. 他们获准在自己家中无论住在何处都可以吃凡俗的肉，却不可吃所献之物的肉。凡奉献给神的，都不可在家里吃（申12:13、17）。但未如此奉献的，可以随意宰了吃（申12:15）。这许可在申12:20-22又重复一次。看来他们在旷野时，凡献祭所用的那几类牲畜，他们都不吃肉，除非在会幕门口宰了，将其一部分作为平安祭献给神（利17:3-4）。但他们到了迦南，既离会幕甚远，就可以随意宰杀牛羊自用，不必带到坛前献一部分。这许可非常明确，并且反复重申，免得撒但利用禁止他们在家吃祭物的律法，趁机像对我们的始祖那样，使他们对神存硬心——好像神吝啬不舍：你可以随心所欲地吃。 有天然的、正当的食欲，以节制清醒而满足之，是合法的——不以所满足的为极大享乐，也不以不得满足为不安。不洁净的人（不可吃圣物）在凡俗的食物中却可以吃同类肉食。洁净人与不洁净人的分别是圣的，是为维护他们圣洁筵席的尊严而设的，所以不可带入日常的饭食。
这许可有双重限制：
1. 他们当按神所赐的福而吃（申12:15）。注意：量入为出不只是我们的智慧，也是我们的本分；不可花费超过所拥有。一方面囤积当用的钱财固然不义，另一方面花费超过所有的更为不义；因为不属于我们的，必属于别人——那人因此受劫掠。我说这更为不义，因为日后要分施所不当吝惜的，从而以某种方式弥补过恶，比偿还给妻子、儿女和债权人所不当花费的要容易得多。在这两极端之间，当由智慧找出中庸之道，然后由儆醒和决心守住它。 2. 他们不可吃血（申12:16，又申12:23）。申12:24说：你要确实不可吃血； 又（申12:25）你不可吃血，使你可以得福。 他们既不能将血带到坛前倒在耶和华面前（因血属于祂），就当倒在地上，当作不属于他们——因为血就是生命；所以作为承认，它属于赐生命的主；作为赎罪，它属于那生命为之亏欠的主。帕特里克主教以为，严禁吃血的原因之一，是为防止古时拜偶像之人关于祭牲之血的迷信——他们以为鬼魔喜食其血，又以为吃血可与鬼魔相通。
VI. 他们受禁不可保留自己在旷野中所行的败坏风俗，也不可保留迦南地先人的败坏风俗。
1. 他们不可保留在旷野中所陷入的不当风俗——这些因他们现今生活不定而蒙宽容（申12:8-9）：我们今日在这里所行的事，你们将来不可照样行。 摩西是最好的统治者，此时以色列民在他们的治理者眼前安营如此紧密，看来再没有比这更好的维持秩序和纪律的机会了；然而看来其中仍有许多不妥，许多违规之事已混入。在未到天上迦南以先，我们不可指望任何社会完全纯洁正直，完全合乎所当行的。他们有献祭和宗教敬拜、有法庭和民政；从那在安息日捡柴之人被石头打死之事可见，他们在律法最要紧的大事上执行极为严格；但因为常常迁移、总是不安定： (1.) 他们无人能照律法所要求的严谨守节期和洁净之礼。 (2.) 他们中那些有心行恶的人，因迁移扰乱司法的执行，得机在人不知不觉中行恶。但摩西说：你们到了迦南，就不可像我们在这里这样行。 注意：当神的子民处在不安定的情况时，可以容忍和通融的事，在别的时候决不可行。必要之事可看必要情况存留其间而予以考虑；但在旷野所行的，在迦南就不可行。房屋建造时旁边可容许多泥土垃圾，房屋建成后这一切必须清除。摩西此时即将放下他的性命和治理；能预见以色列在他下一任治理下比在他治理时更好，对他乃是安慰。
2. 他们不可用迦南列国事奉他们神的任何礼仪或仪式来敬拜耶和华（申12:29-32）。他们连偶像敬拜的方式和形式都不可查问。知道那些撒但深奥之理（启2:24）与他们何益？凡有被感染之险的事，最好一无所知。他们不可引入拜偶像者的风俗： (1.) 因为以神所使他们作奴仆、俘虏、从他们面前剪除除灭的人为榜样，是荒谬的。迦南人并未因事奉他们的神而如此兴旺发达，以致以色列人当效法他们的风俗。看见罪人的结局仍要行罪人之道的，真是糊涂至极。 (2.) 因为他们的风俗中有极其野蛮、无人道的，既践踏了自然之光和自然律，又践踏了天性的亲情——如将自己的儿女用火焚烧献给他们的神（申12:31）。此事仅提及已足够令人憎恶，使我们对此心生恐惧。 (3.) 因为他们拜偶像的风俗是耶和华所憎恶的；将其移植到对耶和华的敬拜中，反使那本为给祂荣耀、本为指望借此得祂恩惠的事，也成了可憎的、冒犯祂的事。祭物本身竟成了可憎之物，其情形已极严重（箴15:8）。所以摩西以同样的警戒作为结束（申12:32）——这警戒他先前已论神的话时已提过（申4:2）：不可加添（借口要使礼仪更丰富或更庄严，而加上自己的发明），也不可删减（借口要使它更容易实行，或以可省的为理由而废止），而要谨守遵行神所命令的一切，且只遵行这一切。 我们在宗教敬拜中若要指望得神的悦纳，就必须遵守神的定规。神要祂自己的工按祂自己的方式行。
英文原文
Where Sacrifices Must Be Offered; Ceremonial Observances; Cautions Against Idolatrous Rites (1451 BC)
⁵ But unto the place which the LORD your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come:
⁶ And thither ye shall bring your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and heave offerings of your hand, and your vows, and your freewill offerings, and the firstlings of your herds and of your flocks:
⁷ 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 households, wherein the LORD thy God hath blessed thee.
⁸ Ye shall not do after all the things that we do here this day, every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes.
⁹ For ye are not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance, which the LORD your God giveth you.
¹⁰ But when ye go over Jordan, and dwell in the land which the LORD your God giveth you to inherit, and when he giveth you rest from all your enemies round about, so that ye dwell in safety;
¹¹ Then there shall be a place which the LORD your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell there; thither shall ye bring all that I command you; your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the heave offering of your hand, and all your choice vows which ye vow unto the LORD:
¹² And ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God, ye, and your sons, and your daughters, and your menservants, and your maidservants, and the Levite that is within your gates; forasmuch as he hath no part nor inheritance with you.
¹³ Take heed to thyself that thou offer not thy burnt offerings in every place that thou seest:
¹⁴ But in the place which the LORD shall choose in one of thy tribes, there thou shalt offer thy burnt offerings, and there thou shalt do all that I command thee.
¹⁵ Notwithstanding thou mayest kill and eat flesh in all thy gates, whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee: the unclean and the clean may eat thereof, as of the roebuck, and as of the hart.
¹⁶ Only ye shall not eat the blood; ye shall pour it upon the earth as water.
¹⁷ 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 herds or of thy flock, nor any of thy vows which thou vowest, nor thy freewill offerings, or heave offering of thine hand:
¹⁸ But thou must eat them before the LORD thy God in the place which the LORD thy God shall choose, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite that is within thy gates: and thou shalt rejoice before the LORD thy God in all that thou puttest thine hands unto.
¹⁹ Take heed to thyself that thou forsake not the Levite as long as thou livest upon the earth.
²⁰ When the LORD thy God shall enlarge thy border, as he hath promised thee, and thou shalt say, I will eat flesh, because thy soul longeth to eat flesh; thou mayest eat flesh, whatsoever thy soul lusteth after.
²¹ 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 thy herd and of thy flock, which the LORD hath given thee, as I have commanded thee, and thou shalt eat in thy gates whatsoever thy soul lusteth after.
²² Even as the roebuck and the hart is eaten, so thou shalt eat them: the unclean and the clean shall eat of them alike.
²³ 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.
²⁴ Thou shalt not eat it; thou shalt pour it upon the earth as water.
²⁵ Thou shalt not eat it; that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, when thou shalt do that which is right in the sight of the LORD.
²⁶ Only thy holy things which thou hast, and thy vows, thou shalt take, and go unto the place which the LORD shall choose:
²⁷ And thou shalt offer thy burnt offerings, the flesh and the blood, upon the altar of the LORD thy God: and the blood of thy sacrifices shall be poured out upon the altar of the LORD thy God, and thou shalt eat the flesh.
²⁸ Observe and hear all these words which I command thee, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee for ever, when thou doest that which is good and right in the sight of the LORD thy God.
²⁹ When the LORD thy God shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land;
³⁰ Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise.
³¹ Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God: for every abomination to the LORD, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods.
³² What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.
There is not any one particular precept (as I remember) in all the law of Moses so largely pressed and inculcated as this, by which they are all tied to bring their sacrifices to that one altar which was set up in the court of the tabernacle, and there to perform all the rituals of their religion; for, as to moral services, then, no doubt, as now, men might pray everywhere, as they did in their synagogues. The command to do this, and the prohibition of the contrary, are here repeated again and again, as we teach children: and yet we are sure that there is in scripture no vain repetition; but all this stress is laid upon it, 1. Because of the strange proneness there was in the hearts of the people to idolatry and superstition, and the danger of their being seduced by the many temptations which they would be surrounded with. 2. Because of the great use which the observance of this appointment would be of to them, both to prevent the introducing of corrupt customs into their worship and to preserve among them unity and brotherly love, that, meeting all in one place, they might continue both of one way and of one heart. 3. Because of the significancy of this appointment. They must keep to one place, in token of their belief of those two great truths, which we find together (1Ti 2:5), That there is one God, and one Mediator between God and man. It not only served to keep up the notion of the unity of the Godhead, but was an intimation to them (though they could not stedfastly discern it) of the one only way of approach to God and communion with him, in and by the Messiah.
Let us now reduce this long charge to its proper heads.
I. It is here promised that when they were settled in Canaan, when they had rest from their enemies, and dwelt in safety, God would choose a certain place, which he would appoint to be the centre of their unity, to which they should bring all their offerings, De 12:10,11. Observe, 1. If they just be tied to one place, they should not be left in doubt concerning it, but should certainly know what place it was. Had Christ intended, under the gospel, to make any one place such a seat of power as Rome pretends to be, we should not have been left so destitute of instruction as we are concerning the appointed place. 2. God does not leave it to them to choose the place, lest the tribes should have quarrelled about it, each striving, for their secular advantage, to have it among them; but he reserves the choice to himself, as he does the designation of the Redeemer and the institution of holy ordinances. 3. He does not appoint the place now, as he had appointed mounts Gerizim and Ebal, for the pronouncing of the blessings and curses (De 11:29), but reserves the doing of it till hereafter, that hereby they might be made to expect further directions from heaven, and a divine conduct, after Moses should be removed. The place which God would choose is said to be the place where he would put his name, that is, which he would have to be called his, where his honour should dwell, where he would manifest himself to his people, and make himself known, as men do by their names, and where he would receive addresses, by which his name is both praised and called upon. It was to be his habitation, where, as King of Israel, he would keep court, and be found by all those that reverently sought him. The ark was the token of God's presence, and where that was put there God put his name, and that was his habitation. It contained the tables of the law; for none must expect to receive favours from God's hand but those that are willing to receive the law from his mouth. The place which God first chose for the ark to reside in was Shiloh; and, after that place had sinned away its honours, we find the ark at Kirjath-jearim and other places; but at length, in David's time, it was fixed at Jerusalem, and God said concerning Solomon's temple, more expressly than ever he had said concerning any other place, This I have chosen for a house of sacrifice, 2Ch 7:12. Compare 2Ch 6:5. Now, under the gospel, we have no temple that sanctifies the gold, no altar that sanctifies the gift, but Christ only; and, as to the places of worship, the prophets foretold that in every place the spiritual incense should be offered, Mal 1:11. And our Saviour has declared that those are accepted as true worshippers who worship God in sincerity and truth, without regard either to this mountain or Jerusalem, Joh 4:23.
II. They are commanded to bring all their burnt-offerings and sacrifices to this place that God would choose (De 12:6 and again De 12:11): Thither shall you bring all that I command you; and (De 12:14), There thou shalt offer thy burnt offerings; and (De 12:27), The flesh and the blood must be offered upon the altar of the Lord thy God. And of their peace-offerings, here called their sacrifices, though they were to eat the flesh, yet the blood was to be poured out upon the altar. By this they were taught that sacrifices and offerings God did not desire, nor accept, for their own sake, nor for any intrinsic worth in them, as natural expressions of homage and adoration; but that they received their virtue purely from that altar on which they were offered, as it typified Christ; whereas prayers and praises, as much more necessary and valuable, were to be offered every day by the people of God wherever they were. A devout Israelite might honour God, and keep up communion with him, and obtain mercy from him, though he had not an opportunity, perhaps, for many months together, of bringing a sacrifice to his altar. But this signified the obligation we Christians are under to offer up all our spiritual sacrifices to God in the name of Jesus Christ, hoping for acceptance only upon the score of his mediation, 1Pe 2:5.
III. They are commanded to feast upon their hallowed things before the Lord, with holy joy. They must not only bring to the altar the sacrifices which were to be offered to God, but hey must bring to the place of the altar all those things which they were appointed by the law to eat and drink, to the honour of God, in token of their communion with him, De 12:6. Their, tithes, and heave-offerings of their hand, that is, their first-fruits, their vows, and free-will-offerings, and firstlings, all those things which were to be religiously made use of either by themselves or by the priests and Levites, must be brought to the place which God would choose; as all the revenues of the crown, from all parts of the kingdom, are brought into the exchequer. And (De 12:7): There you shall eat before the Lord, and rejoice in all that you put your hands unto; and again (De 12:12), You shall rejoice before the Lord, you, and your sons, and your daughters. Observe here, 1. That what we do in the service of God and to his glory redounds to our benefit, if it be not our own fault. Those that sacrifice to God are welcome to eat before him, and to feast upon their sacrifices: he sups with us, and we with him, Re 3:20. If we glorify God, we edify ourselves, and cultivate our own minds, through the grace of God, by the increase of our knowledge and faith, the enlivening of devout affections, and the confirming of gracious habits and resolutions: thus is the soul nourished. 2. That work for God should be done with holy joy and cheerfulness. You shall eat and rejoice, De 12:7, and again, De 12:12 and De 12:18. (1.) Now while they were before the Lord they must rejoice, De 12:12. It is the will of God that we should serve him with gladness; none displeased him more than those that covered his altar with tears. Mal 2:13. See what a good Master we serve, who has made it our duty to sing at our work. Even the children and servants must rejoice with them before God, that the services of religion might be a pleasure to them, and not a task or drudgery. (2.) They must carry away with them the grateful relish of that delight which they found in communion with God; they must rejoice in all that they put their hands unto, De 12:7. Some of the comfort which they must take with them into their common employments; and, being thus strengthened in soul, whatever they did they must do it heartily and cheerfully. And this holy pious joy in God and his goodness, with which we are to rejoice evermore, would be the best preservative against the sin and snare of vain and carnal mirth and a relief against the sorrows of the world.
IV. They are commanded to be kind to the Levites. Did they feast with joy? The Levites must feast with them, and rejoice with them, De 12:12, and again, De 12:18; and a general caution (De 12:19), Take heed that thou forsake not the Levite as long as thou livest. There were Levites that attended the altar as assistants to the priests, and these must not be forsaken, that is, the service they performed must be constantly adhered to; no other altar must be set up than that which God appointed; for that would be to forsake the Levites. But this seems to be spoken of the Levites that were dispersed in the country to instruct the people in the law of God, and to assist them in their devotions; for it is the Levite within their gates that they are here commanded to make much of. It is a great mercy to have Levites near us, within our gates, that we may ask the law at their mouth, and at our feasts to be a check upon us, to restrain excesses. And it is the duty of people to be kind to their ministers that give them good instructions and set them good examples. As long as we live we shall need their assistance, till we come to that world where ordinances will be superseded; and therefore as long as we live we must not forsake the Levites. The reason given (De 12:12) is because the Levite has no part nor inheritance with you, so that he cannot grow rich by husbandry or trade; let him therefore share with you in the comfort of your riches. They must give the Levites their tithes and offerings, settled on them by the law, because they had no other maintenance.
V. They are allowed to eat common flesh, but not the flesh of their offerings, in their own houses, wherever they dwelt. What was any way devoted to God they must not eat at home, De 12:13,17. But what was not so devoted they might kill and eat of at their pleasure, De 12:15. And this permission is again repeated, De 12:20-22. It should seem that while they were in the wilderness they did not eat the flesh of any of those kinds of beasts that were used in sacrifice, but what was killed at the door of the tabernacle, and part of it presented to God as a peace-offering, Le 17:3,4. But when they came to Canaan, where they must live at a great distance from the tabernacle, they might kill what they pleased for their own use of their flocks and herds, without bringing part to the altar. This allowance is very express, and repeated, lest Satan should take occasion from that law which forbade the eating of their sacrifices at their own houses to suggest to them, as he did to our first parents, hard thoughts of God, as if he grudged them: Thou mayest eat whatsoever thy soul lusteth after. There is a natural regular appetite, which it is lawful to gratify with temperance and sobriety, not taking too great a pleasure in the gratification, nor being uneasy if it be crossed. The unclean, who might not eat of the holy things, yet might eat of the same sort of flesh when it was only used as common food. The distinction between clean persons and unclean was sacred, and designed for the preserving of the honour of their holy feasts, and therefore must not be brought into their ordinary meals. This permission has a double restriction:—1. They must eat according to the blessing which God had given them, De 12:15. Note, It is not only our wisdom, but our duty, to live according to our estates, and not to spend above what we have. As it is unjust on the one hand to hoard what should be laid out, so it is much more unjust to lay out more than we have; for what is not our own must needs be another's, who is thereby robbed and defrauded. And this, I say, is much more unjust, because it is easier afterwards to distribute what has been unduly spared, and so to make a sort of restitution for the wrong, than it is to repay to wife, and children, and creditors, what has been unduly spent. Between these two extremes let wisdom find the mean, and then let watchfulness and resolution keep it. 2. They must not eat blood (De 12:16, and again, De 12:23): Only be sure that thou eat not the blood (De 12:24), Thou shalt not eat it; and (De 12:25), Thou shalt not eat it, that it may go well with thee. When they could not bring the blood to the altar, to pour it out there before the Lord, as belonging to him, they must pour it out upon the earth, as not belonging to them, because it was the life, and therefore, as an acknowledgment, belonged to him who gives life, and, as an atonement, belonged to him to whom life is forfeited. Bishop Patrick thinks one reason why they were forbidden thus strictly the eating of blood was to prevent the superstitions of the old idolaters about the blood of their sacrifices, which they thought their demons delighted in, and by eating of which they imagined that they had communion with them.
VI. They are forbidden to keep up either their own corrupt usages in the wilderness or the corrupt usages of their predecessors in the land of Canaan.
1. They must not keep up those improper customs which they had got into in the wilderness, and which were connived at in consideration of the present unsettledness of their condition (De 12:8,9): You shall not do after all the things that we do here this day. Never was there a better governor than Moses, and one would think never a better opportunity of keeping up good order and discipline than now among the people of Israel, when they lay so closely encamped under the eye of their governor; and yet it seems there was much amiss and many irregularities had crept in among them. We must never expect to see any society perfectly pure and right, and as it should be till we come to the heavenly Canaan. They had sacrifices and religious worship, courts of justice and civil government, and, by the stoning of the man that gathered sticks on the sabbath day, it appears there was great strictness used in guarding the most weighty matters of the law; but being frequently upon the remove, and always at uncertainty, (1.) They could none of them observe the solemn feasts, and the rites of cleansing, with the exactness that the law required. And, (2.) Those among them that were disposed to do amiss had opportunity given them to do it unobserved by the frequent interruptions which their removals gave to the administration of justice. But (says Moses) when you come to Canaan, you shall not do as we do here. Note, When the people of God are in an unsettled condition, that may be tolerated and dispensed with which would by no means be allowed at another time. Cases of necessity are to be considered while the necessity continues; but that must not be done in Canaan which was done in the wilderness. While a house is in the building a great deal of dirt and rubbish are suffered to lie by it, which must all be taken away when the house is built. Moses was now about to lay down his life and government, and it was a comfort to him to foresee that Israel would be better in the next reign than they had been in his.
2. They must not worship the Lord by any of those rites or ceremonies which the notions of Canaan had made use of in the service of their gods, De 12:29-32. They must not so much as enquire into the modes and forms of idolatrous worship. What good would it do to them to know those depths of Satan? Re 2:24. It is best to be ignorant of that which there is danger of being infected by. They must not introduce the customs of idolaters, (1.) Because it would be absurd to make those their patterns whom God had made their slaves and captives, cut off, and destroyed from before them. The Canaanites had not flourished and prospered so much in the service of their gods as that the Israelites should be invited to take up their customs. Those are wretchedly besotted indeed who will walk in the way of sinners, after they have seen their end. (2.) Because some of their customs were most barbarous and inhuman, and such as trampled, not only upon the light and law of nature, but upon natural affection itself, as burning their sons and their daughters in the fire to their gods (De 12:31), the very mention of which is sufficient to make it odious, and possess us with a horror of it. (3.) Because their idolatrous customs were an abomination to the Lord, and the translating of them into his worship would make even that an abomination and an affront to him by which they should give him honour, and by which they hoped to obtain his favour. The case is bad indeed when the sacrifice itself has become an abomination, Pr 15:8. He therefore concludes (De 12:32) with the same caution concerning the worship of God which he had before given concerning the word of God (De 4:2): "You shall not add thereto any inventions of your own, under pretence of making the ordinance either more significant or more magnificent, nor diminish from it, under pretence of making it more easy and practicable, or of setting aside that which may be spared; but observe to do all that, and that only, which God has commanded." We may then hope in our religious worship to obtain the divine acceptance when we observe the divine appointment. God will have his own work done in his own way.
摩西在本章开始讲述他要以色列谨守的各样具体律例，而他首先从与敬拜神相关的律例开始，尤其是那些阐释第二条诫命的律例——在这条诫命上，神有特别的忌邪之心。I. 他们必须彻底毁除一切偶像崇拜的遗迹与残余，申12:1-3。II. 他们必须紧紧倚靠会幕，申12:4,5。前一项命令旨在杜绝一切虚假的敬拜，后一项则要保守神所设立的敬拜。按照后一项律法：1. 他们受命将一切祭物带到神的祭坛前，将一切圣物带到神所拣选之处，申12:6,7,11,12,14,18,26-28。2. 一般而言，他们受禁不可像如今在旷野中所行的（申12:8-11），也不可像迦南人所行的（申12:29-32）；具体而言，不可在自己家中吃圣物（申12:13,17,18），也不可离弃所设立的职事，申12:19。3. 他们获准在自己家中吃肉作为日常食物，只是不可吃血，申12:15,16，再次申明于申12:20-26。