Deuteronomy 12:5-18
12:5 But you must seek only the place he
chooses from all your tribes to establish his name as his place of residence,
and you must go there.
12:6 And there you must take your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the personal offerings you have prepared,
your votive offerings, your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks.
12:7 Both you and your families
must feast there before the
Lord your God and rejoice in all the output of your labor with which he
has blessed you.
12:8 You must not do like we are doing here today, with everyone
doing what seems best to him,
12:9 for you have not yet come to the final stop
and inheritance the
Lord your God is giving you.
12:10 When you do go across the Jordan River
and settle in the land he
is granting you as an inheritance and you find relief from all the enemies who surround you, you will live in safety.
12:11 Then you must come to the place the
Lord your God chooses for his name to reside, bringing
everything I am commanding you – your burnt offerings, sacrifices, tithes, the personal offerings you have prepared,
and all your choice votive offerings which you devote to him.
12:12 You shall rejoice in the presence of the
Lord your God, along with your sons, daughters, male and female servants, and the Levites in your villages
(since they have no allotment or inheritance with you).
12:13 Make sure you do not offer burnt offerings in any place you wish,
12:14 for you may do so
only in the place the
Lord chooses in one of your tribal areas – there you may do everything I am commanding you.
Regulations for Profane Slaughter
12:15 On the other hand, you may slaughter and eat meat as you please when the Lord your God blesses you in all your villages. Both the ritually pure and impure may eat it, whether it is a gazelle or an ibex.
12:16 However, you must not eat blood – pour it out on the ground like water.
12:17 You will not be allowed to eat in your villages your tithe of grain, new wine, olive oil, the firstborn of your herd and flock, any votive offerings you have vowed, or your freewill and personal offerings.
12:18 Only in the presence of the Lord your God may you eat these, in the place he chooses. This applies to you, your son, your daughter, your male and female servants, and the Levites in your villages. In that place you will rejoice before the Lord your God in all the output of your labor.