Deuteronomy 15:19

Deuteronomy 15:19 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)All the firstling males that come of thy herd and of thy flock thou shalt sanctify unto the Lord thy God: thou shalt do no work with the firstling of thy bullock, nor shear the firstling of thy sheep.
• New International Version (NIV)Set apart for the Lord your God every firstborn male of your herds and flocks. Do not put the firstborn of your cows to work, and do not shear the firstborn of your sheep.
• English Standard Version (ESV)"All the firstborn males that are born of your herd and flock you shall dedicate to the Lord your God. You shall do no work with the firstborn of your herd, nor shear the firstborn of your flock.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“All the firstborn males that come from your herd and your flock you shall sanctify to the Lord your God; you shall do no work with the firstborn of your herd, nor shear the firstborn of your flock.

Context of Deuteronomy 15:19

17If he says that, you must take a tool with a sharp point. Push it through his ear, into your door. After that, he will be your servant for his whole life. Do the same thing for any female servant who wants to stay with you. 18Do not think that it will be difficult for you if he goes free. Remember that he has served you well for six years. He has been worth twice as much as a servant that you pay to do your work. The Lord your God will bless you in everything that you do. You must keep separate every firstborn male animal that is born from your cows, sheep or goats. They belong to the Lord your God. Do not make these firstborn animals do any work for you. Do not cut off the wool from your firstborn sheep. 20Each year, you and your family must take these animals to the place that the Lord your God will choose. Eat them there, at the Lord's special home. 21But if a firstborn animal is not perfect, you must not offer it as a sacrifice to the Lord your God. It must not be blind or have weak legs. It must not have anything wrong with it.

Deuteronomy 15:19 word by word

כָּֽל־הַבְּכ֡וֹר אֲשֶׁר֩ יִוָּלֵ֨ד בִּבְקָרְךָ֤ וּבְצֹֽאנְךָ֙ הַזָּכָ֔ר תַּקְדִּ֖ישׁ לַיהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ לֹ֤א תַעֲבֹד֙ בִּבְכֹ֣ר שׁוֹרֶ֔ךָ וְלֹ֥א תָגֹ֖ז בְּכ֥וֹר צֹאנֶֽךָ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• All the firstlingבְּכוֹרbekôr · firstbornH1060
• malesזָכָרzâkâr · maleH2145
• that comeיָלַדyâlad · to begetH3205
• of thy herdבָּקָרbâqâr · cattleH1241
• and of thy flockצֹאןtsô'n tse'ôn · flockH6629
• thou shalt sanctifyקָדַשׁqâdash · to consecrate: dedicateH6942
• unto the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• thy Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• thou shalt do no workעָבַד‛âbad · to serve: labourH5647
• of thy bullockשׁוֹרshôr · cattleH7794
• nor shearגָּזַזgâzaz · to shearH1494

Cross-references for Deuteronomy 15:19

• Exodus 13:2He said, ‘Keep every firstborn male separate and special for me. Every male who is the first to be born of his mother is mine. He is mine, whether he is man or animal.’
• Exodus 34:19Every firstborn child that a woman gives birth to belongs to me. That is also true for every firstborn male that your animals give birth to. That includes your cows and your sheep.
• Leviticus 27:26The first baby that an animal has is holy. It belongs to the Lord. A person cannot give it as a special gift to the Lord.
• Numbers 3:13I killed all the firstborn sons of the Egyptians. But I kept the firstborn sons of every person and animal among the Israelites for myself. They belong to me. I am the Lord!’
• Numbers 18:17You must not pay for the firstborn of a cow, a sheep or a goat. Those animals are holy. Splash the blood from those animals on the altar and burn the fat from them. The smell will make the Lord happy.
• Romans 8:29God already had those people in his thoughts from the beginning. He decided that they should become like his Son. So then, his Son would have many younger brothers and sisters.
• Hebrews 12:23All God's people meet together there. They are like his most important sons. They belong in heaven because God has written down their names. You have come to God himself, who will judge all people. You have come to the place where the spirits of God's people are. Those people have become right with God. God has now finished his work in them.
• Deuteronomy 12:5The Lord will choose one place from the land where all your tribes live. That is the place where people must go to worship him. That is his special home.
• Deuteronomy 14:23Then take your tithe to the place that the Lord your God will choose as his special home. It will be a tenth part of your grain, your new wine, your olive oil and the firstborn animals from your cows, sheep and goats. Eat them there, at the Lord's special home. Then you will learn to respect the Lord your God always.
• Deuteronomy 16:11You and your family will be happy to worship the Lord your God, at the special place that he chooses. Enjoy time together with your children, your servants and the Levites who live in your town. Also join with the foreign people who live among you, with widows, and children who have no family. Worship God happily together.
• Numbers 18:15I give to you every firstborn animal and male child that people offer to the Lord. But you must pay the price for every firstborn son and for every firstborn male animal that is not clean.

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 15:19

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 19-23Verses 19-23 Compare Exodus 13:11 ff. The directions of the preceding legislation (see Numbers 18:15 ff) are here assumed, with the injunction added, that the animals thus set apart to God Deuteronomy 15:19 were not to be used by their owners for their earthly purposes. It is further allowed that firstborn animals which had a blemish should be regarded as exceptions, and instead of being given to God might be used as food Deuteronomy 15:21-22. The…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 19-23Verses 19-23 Here is a direction what to do with the firstlings. We are not now limited as the Israelites were; we make no difference between a first calf, or lamb, and the rest. Let us then look to the gospel meaning of this law, devoting ourselves and the first of our time and strength to God; and using all our comforts and enjoyments to his praise, and under the direction of his law, as we have them all by his gift.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 19The firstborn males of livestock represented the firstborn sons of Israel who had been spared from death in the tenth plague (Exodus 12:12, 29; 13:2, 12; 22:29).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1919. All the firstling males of thy herd and of thy flock thou shalt sanctify unto the Lord thy God--[See on Ex 13:2]; see Ex 22:30). thou shalt do not work with the firstling of thy bullock--that is, the second firstlings (see De 12:17, 18; 14:23).Read the comment

Topics related to Deuteronomy 15:19

• Firstborn

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Bless
• Cease
• Firstling
• Release
• Atonement, Day of
• Criticism
• Exodus, the Book of
• Genesis

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings