The Meaning of Deuteronomy 12:32 Explained

Deuteronomy 12:32

KJV: What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.

YLT: The whole thing which I am commanding you -- it ye observe to do; thou dost not add unto it, nor diminish from it.

Darby: Everything that I command you, ye shall take heed to do it; thou shalt not add thereto, nor take from it.

ASV: What thing soever I command you, that shall ye observe to do: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

What thing  soever I command  you, observe  to do  it: thou shalt not add  thereto, nor diminish  from it. 

What does Deuteronomy 12:32 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The second commandment Isaiah , "You shall not make for yourself an image or any likeness ... [1] worship them or serve them ..." ( Deuteronomy 5:8-10). The writer mentioned three different cases in this section.
"In the ancient suzerainty treaties it was required of the vassal that he must not connive at evil words spoken against the suzerain, whether they amounted to an affront or to a conspiracy. The vassal must report the insult or the fomenting of revolt. In case of active rebellion, he must undertake military measures against the offenders. Moreover, he must manifest fidelity to his lord in such cases no matter who the rebel might be, whether prince or nearest relative. All of this finds its formal counterpart in Deuteronomy 13." [2]
The last verse of chapter12in the English Bible is the first verse of chapter13in the Hebrew Bible. It introduces what follows.
God permitted some prophets (people who claimed to have direct revelation from God, or to speak for God, or who praised God) to arise in Israel and perform miracles ( Deuteronomy 12:1), even though they advocated apostasy from Yahweh. The primary meaning of "prophet" (Heb. nabi") is "proclaimer" or "forth-teller" (cf. Exodus 4:15-16; Exodus 7:1) [1] A prophet was, then, a spokesman for God who represented Him before other people. [2] God permitted prophets to utter false prophecies to test His people"s love ( Deuteronomy 12:3), specifically, to see if they would remain loyal to Him. The acid test of a false prophet was his or her fidelity to the Mosaic Covenant. If he led the people away from God, the civil authorities were to put him to death ( Deuteronomy 12:5). Some false prophets would foretell the future since they received this information from the evil spirit world (e.g, diviners, soothsayers, etc.). Some of them could even perform signs and wonders (supernatural acts), which would appear to substantiate their claim that their power came from God. Enticement to idolatry was a very serious crime in Israel. [3]

Chapter Summary: Deuteronomy 12

1  Monuments of idolatry to be destroyed
4  The place of God's service to be kept
15  Blood is forbidden
17  Holy things must be eaten in the holy place
19  The Levite is not to be forsaken
20  Blood is again forbidden
26  and holy things must be eaten in the holy place
29  Idolatry is not to be enquired after

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 12:32 mean?

- Whatever what thing whatever I command you - be careful to observe it not you shall add to it nor take away from it -
אֵ֣ת כָּל־ הַדָּבָ֗ר אֲשֶׁ֤ר אָנֹכִי֙ מְצַוֶּ֣ה אֶתְכֶ֔ם אֹת֥וֹ תִשְׁמְר֖וּ לַעֲשׂ֑וֹת לֹא־ תֹסֵ֣ף עָלָ֔יו וְלֹ֥א תִגְרַ֖ע מִמֶּֽנּוּ פ

אֵ֣ת  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
כָּל־  Whatever 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
הַדָּבָ֗ר  what  thing 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
אֲשֶׁ֤ר  whatever 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
מְצַוֶּ֣ה  command 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine singular
Root: צָוָה  
Sense: to command, charge, give orders, lay charge, give charge to, order.
אֹת֥וֹ  - 
Parse: Direct object marker, third person masculine singular
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
תִשְׁמְר֖וּ  be  careful 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַר  
Sense: to keep, guard, observe, give heed.
לַעֲשׂ֑וֹת  to  observe  it 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
תֹסֵ֣ף  you  shall  add 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect Jussive, second person masculine singular
Root: יָסַף 
Sense: to add, increase, do again.
עָלָ֔יו  to  it 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
וְלֹ֥א  nor 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
תִגְרַ֖ע  take  away 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: גָּרַע 
Sense: to diminish, restrain, withdraw, abate, keep back, do away, take from, clip.
מִמֶּֽנּוּ  from  it 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: מִן 
Sense: from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than.
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation