English Standard Version
Deuteronomy 15:19
19"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.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)“You must set aside for the Lord your God all the firstborn males from your flocks and herds. Do not use the firstborn of your herds to work your fields, and do not shear the firstborn of your flocks.
Context of Deuteronomy 15:19
17then you shall take an awl, and put it through his ear into the door, and he shall be your slave forever. And to your female slave you shall do the same. 18It shall not seem hard to you when you let him go free from you, for at half the cost of a hired worker he has served you six years. So the Lord your God will bless you in all that you do. "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. 20You shall eat it, you and your household, before the Lord your God year by year at the place that the Lord will choose. 21But if it has any blemish, if it is lame or blind or has any serious blemish whatever, you shall not sacrifice it to the Lord your God.
Read all of Deuteronomy 15Deuteronomy 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 13:2"Consecrate to me all the firstborn. Whatever is the first to open the womb among the people of Israel, both of man and of beast, is mine."
- Exodus 34:19All that open the womb are mine, all your male livestock, the firstborn of cow and sheep.
- Leviticus 27:26"But a firstborn of animals, which as a firstborn belongs to the Lord, no man may dedicate; whether ox or sheep, it is the Lord's.
- Numbers 3:13for all the firstborn are mine. On the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated for my own all the firstborn in Israel, both of man and of beast. They shall be mine: I am the Lord."
- Numbers 18:17But the firstborn of a cow, or the firstborn of a sheep, or the firstborn of a goat, you shall not redeem; they are holy. You shall sprinkle their blood on the altar and shall burn their fat as a food offering, with a pleasing aroma to the Lord.
- Romans 8:29For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
- Hebrews 12:23and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,
- Deuteronomy 12:5But you shall seek the place that the Lord your God will choose out of all your tribes to put his name and make his habitation there. There you shall go,
- Deuteronomy 14:23And before the Lord your God, in the place that he will choose, to make his name dwell there, you shall eat the tithe of your grain, of your wine, and of your oil, and the firstborn of your herd and flock, that you may learn to fear the Lord your God always.
- Deuteronomy 16:11And you shall rejoice before the Lord your God, you and your son and your daughter, your male servant and your female servant, the Levite who is within your towns, the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow who are among you, at the place that the Lord your God will choose, to make his name dwell there.
- Numbers 18:15Everything that opens the womb of all flesh, whether man or beast, which they offer to the Lord, shall be yours. Nevertheless, the firstborn of man you shall redeem, and the firstborn of unclean animals you shall redeem.
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
In the dictionaries
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
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