The Meaning of Deuteronomy 12:5 Explained

Deuteronomy 12:5

KJV: But unto the place which the LORD your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come:

YLT: but unto the place which Jehovah your God doth choose out of all your tribes to put His name there, to His tabernacle ye seek, and thou hast entered thither,

Darby: but unto the place which Jehovah your God will choose out of all your tribes to set his name there, his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come;

ASV: But unto the place which Jehovah your God shall choose out of all your tribes, to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But unto the place  which the LORD  your God  shall choose  out of all your tribes  to put  his name  there, [even] unto his habitation  shall ye seek,  and thither thou shalt come: 

What does Deuteronomy 12:5 Mean?

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 12:5 mean?

For but unto the place where chooses Yahweh your God out of all your tribes to establish - His Name there as His dwelling place you shall seek and you shall go there
כִּ֠י אִֽם־ אֶל־ הַמָּק֞וֹם אֲשֶׁר־ יִבְחַ֨ר יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶם֙ מִכָּל־ שִׁבְטֵיכֶ֔ם לָשׂ֥וּם אֶת־ שְׁמ֖וֹ שָׁ֑ם לְשִׁכְנ֥וֹ תִדְרְשׁ֖וּ וּבָ֥אתָ שָֽׁמָּה

אֶל־  unto 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
הַמָּק֞וֹם  the  place 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מָקֹום  
Sense: standing place, place.
אֲשֶׁר־  where 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
יִבְחַ֨ר  chooses 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בָּחוּר 
Sense: to choose, elect, decide for.
יְהוָ֤ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶם֙  your  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
מִכָּל־  out  of  all 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
שִׁבְטֵיכֶ֔ם  your  tribes 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: שֵׁבֶט  
Sense: rod, staff, branch, offshoot, club, sceptre, tribe.
לָשׂ֥וּם  to  establish 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: שׂוּמָה 
Sense: to put, place, set, appoint, make.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
שְׁמ֖וֹ  His  Name 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
לְשִׁכְנ֥וֹ  as  His  dwelling  place 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁכַן  
Sense: dwelling.
תִדְרְשׁ֖וּ  you  shall  seek 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: דַּרְיׄושׁ 
Sense: to resort to, seek, seek with care, enquire, require.
וּבָ֥אתָ  and  you  shall  go 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.