Abstract
Commentators differ on the location of the altar mentioned in Deut. 16.21 and do not substantiate their conclusions with evidence. Is the altar mentioned a local altar or the central altar of the temple/tabernacle? This article argues for local altars, with three lines of evidence. First, the altar law of Deut. 16.21 is compared with Exod. 20.24 to determine if the altar law of Deuteronomy borrows the language of the altar law of Exodus, as claimed by S.R. Driver. Second, the use of the lamed of advantage in Deut. 16.21 is analyzed to determine its function in the law. Third, clues for the location of the altar are sought for in the immediate context of Deut. 16.18–17.13.
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