New English Translation
Deuteronomy 15:19
19You must set apart for the Lord your God every firstborn male born to your herds and flocks. You must not work the firstborn of your bulls or shear the firstborn of your flocks.
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
17you shall take an awl and pierce a hole through his ear to the door. Then he will become your servant permanently (this applies to your female servant as well). 18You should not consider it difficult to let him go free, for he will have served you for six years, twice the time of a hired worker; the Lord your God will bless you in everything you do. You must set apart for the Lord your God every firstborn male born to your herds and flocks. You must not work the firstborn of your bulls or shear the firstborn of your flocks. 20You and your household must eat them annually before the Lord your God in the place he chooses. 21If they have any kind of blemish – lameness, blindness, or anything else – you may not offer them as a sacrifice 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“Set apart to me every firstborn male – the first offspring of every womb among the Israelites, whether human or animal; it is mine.”
- Exodus 34:19“Every firstborn of the womb belongs to me, even every firstborn of your cattle that is a male, whether ox or sheep.
- Leviticus 27:26“‘Surely no man may consecrate a firstborn that already belongs to the Lord as a firstborn among the animals; whether it is an ox or a sheep, it belongs to the Lord.
- Numbers 3:13because all the firstborn are mine. When I destroyed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I set apart for myself all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast. They belong to me. I am the Lord.”
- Numbers 18:17But you must not redeem the firstborn of a cow or a sheep or a goat; they are holy. You must splash their blood on the altar and burn their fat for an offering made by fire for a pleasing aroma to the Lord.
- Romans 8:29because those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
- Hebrews 12:23and congregation of the firstborn, who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous, who have been made perfect,
- Deuteronomy 12:5But you must seek only the place he chooses from all your tribes to establish his name as his place of residence, and you must go there.
- Deuteronomy 14:23In the presence of the Lord your God you must eat from the tithe of your grain, your new wine, your olive oil, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks in the place he chooses to locate his name, so that you may learn to revere the Lord your God always.
- Deuteronomy 16:11You shall rejoice before him – you, your son, your daughter, your male and female slaves, the Levites in your villages, the resident foreigners, the orphans, and the widows among you – in the place where the Lord chooses to locate his name.
- Numbers 18:15The firstborn of every womb which they present to the Lord, whether human or animal, will be yours. Nevertheless, the firstborn sons you must redeem, and the firstborn males of unclean animals you must 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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