Deuteronomy 16:2 (KJV)

What does Deuteronomy 16:2 mean?

Deuteronomy 16:2 instructs the Israelites to offer the Passover sacrifice to the LORD their God, using animals from their flock or herd, and to do this in the specific place that the LORD will choose for His name. The verse emphasizes both the act of sacrifice and the importance of the chosen location for worship.

In this verse, Moses is speaking to the people of Israel as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. The instruction connects to the annual Passover festival, recalling their deliverance from Egypt. The command highlights that worship and sacrifice should not happen just anywhere, but only at the place God designates, which later becomes Jerusalem.

The Hebrew behind Deuteronomy 16:2

• "sacrifice" (זָבַח, zavach): This word means to slaughter or offer an animal as a sacrifice. It points to the specific ritual act required for the Passover, not just any meal or celebration.
• "passover" (פֶּסַח, pesach): This refers to the special festival and the lamb or animal sacrificed in memory of God sparing the Israelites in Egypt. The use of this word ties the command directly to the foundational story of Israel’s rescue.
• "place" (מָקוֹם, maqom): This word means a specific location. The verse stresses that God—not the people—chooses where true worship and sacrifice should take place.
• "choose" (בָּחַר, bachar): This verb means to select or appoint. The text underlines that the place for sacrifice is not random or traditional, but is determined by God’s own decision.

Why Deuteronomy 16:2 matters

• Deuteronomy 16:2 clarifies that Passover sacrifices were not to be made just anywhere, but only at the central sanctuary God would choose, correcting any idea that worship could happen at any local altar.
• The verse connects the act of sacrifice with God’s authority and presence, showing that true worship involves both obedience and recognition of God’s chosen place.
• This instruction sets the stage for later developments in Israel’s history, where Jerusalem becomes the central place of worship, and helps explain why local altars were eventually forbidden.