Deuteronomy 16:5

You are not to sacrifice the Passover animal in any of the towns that the LORD your God is giving you.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — Moses addresses the Israelites on the plains of Moab, giving covenant instructions before they enter the promised land.

The words — לֹא (lo') = not and שְׁעָרֶיךָ (she.'a.Rei./kha) = your gates.

The thread — The prohibition against local sacrifice aligns with Deuteronomy 12:5 and Deuteronomy 16:2, which both require offering the Passover only at the single location God chooses.

Why it lands — The text commands centralized worship by forbidding Passover sacrifices in individual towns. Readers must submit to the designated place rather than adapting the ritual to local convenience.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

לֹ֥אlo'not תוּכַ֖לtu.Khalyou will be able לִזְבֹּ֣חַli/z.Bo.achto/ sacrifice אֶת־'et-<obj.>הַפָּ֑סַחha./Pa.sachthe/ passover בְּאַחַ֣דbe./'a.Chadin/ one of שְׁעָרֶ֔יךָshe.'a.Rei./khagates/ your אֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-which יְהוָ֥הYah.wehYahweh אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ'e.lo.Hei./khaGod/ your נֹתֵ֥ןno.Ten[is] about to giveלָֽךְ׃La/khto/ you

King James Version

Thou mayest not sacrifice the passover within any of thy gates, which the Lord thy God giveth thee:

Cross-references

Deuteronomy 12:5 Instead, you must seek the place the LORD your God will choose from among all your tribes to establish as a dwelling for His Name, and there you must go.
Deuteronomy 16:2 You are to offer to the LORD your God the Passover sacrifice from the herd or flock in the place the LORD will choose as a dwelling for His Name.