Deuteronomy 15:23

Deuteronomy 15:23 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Only thou shalt not eat the blood thereof; thou shalt pour it upon the ground as water.
• New International Version (NIV)But you must not eat the blood; pour it out on the ground like water.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Only you shall not eat its blood; you shall pour it out on the ground like water.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Only you shall not eat its blood; you shall pour it on the ground like water.

Context of Deuteronomy 15:23

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. 22You may eat animals like that at home. It is the same as if you are eating meat from deer. Anyone may eat it. That includes people who are clean and people who are unclean. But you must not eat the animal's blood. You must pour it on the ground like water.

Deuteronomy 15:23 word by word

רַ֥ק אֶת־דָּמ֖וֹ לֹ֣א תֹאכֵ֑ל עַל־הָאָ֥רֶץ תִּשְׁפְּכֶ֖נּוּ כַּמָּֽיִם׃ פRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Only thou shalt not eatאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
• the bloodדָּםdâm · bloodH1818
• thereof; thou shalt pourשָׁפַךְshâphak · to pour: pourH8210
• it upon the groundאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: soilH776
• as waterמַיmayim · waterH4325

Cross-references for Deuteronomy 15:23

• Deuteronomy 12:16But you must not eat the blood of any animal. You must pour it on the ground like water.
• Leviticus 7:26You must not eat the blood of an animal or of a bird even if you are living in another country.
• 1 Samuel 14:32So they quickly took sheep, cows and calves from the Philistines as food to eat. The soldiers were so hungry that they killed the animals on the ground. Then they ate the meat with the blood still in it.
• Ezekiel 33:25Because they say that, you must tell them, “This is what the Almighty Lord says: You eat meat which still has blood in it. You worship your idols. You also murder people. So you do not deserve to have the land for yourselves.

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 15:23

• 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. 23The blood of an animal was understood to represent its life. Life was considered sacred because it comes from God. For this reason, it was wrong to eat the blood (see 12:16).Read the comment

Topics related to Deuteronomy 15:23

• Blood
• Firstborn
• Sanitation

In the dictionaries

• Bless
• Cease
• Firstling
• Release
• Atonement, Day of
• Criticism
• Exodus, the Book of
• Genesis
• Leviticus

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