Deuteronomy chapter 12

vs 12

This specific, as yet unnamed, place is where they are to celebrate and rejoice before God.

vs 13

I've said before about this centralisation that I am not sure what its purpose is. After all, there are Levites in every town, so you assume they have a role. But the levites aren't supported by sacrifices - I think they get their own towns within the land of other nations.

vs 14

Some people argue that this does get picked - that it is Shiloh, and it only gets moved to Jerusalem when David takes the city. I suppose that's fair enough. I'm not sure how God picks his spot - I'm pretty sure it's Joshua, or the elders, that pick Shiloh.

vs 15

So they can eat the animals they're not allowed to sacrifice. I can't say I've ever read that before. My knowledge of the law is so flawed that I don't even know if they are strictly forbidden from eating ceremonially unclean animals here. I mean, I thought pig fit in there. Do you think I'll look it up to find out?

Anyway, this allows the Jews to still eat meat, so they won't get tempted to sacrifice to other gods just so they can have a steak.

vs 16

This rule has been around since Noah, so that's nothing new.

vs 17

Note that it doesn't say don't eat them at all - just not in the towns where you live.

vs 18

And here's why - because God has his one place for making sacrifices, so you have to take all your tithes there.

vs 19

Which means of course that even though the levites might have towns of their own, people are still expected to give them stuff.

vs 20

In fact, the whole idea of being able to eat as much meat as you want denotes such a great wealth, that it is hard to imagine for us, because we just have meat all the time.

vs 21

So even if you live too far away, that doesn't give you a reason to disobey God. Although I don't know what too far away means.

vs 22

We're going to see some more repetition here.