New International Version
Deuteronomy 12:15
15Nevertheless, you may slaughter your animals in any of your towns and eat as much of the meat as you want, as if it were gazelle or deer, according to the blessing the Lord your God gives you. Both the ceremonially unclean and the clean may eat it.
Deuteronomy 12:15 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Notwithstanding thou mayest kill and eat flesh in all thy gates, whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which he hath given thee: the unclean and the clean may eat thereof, as of the roebuck, and as of the hart.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"However, you may slaughter and eat meat within any of your towns, as much as you desire, according to the blessing of the Lord your God that he has given you. The unclean and the clean may eat of it, as of the gazelle and as of the deer.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“However, you may slaughter and eat meat within all your gates, whatever your heart desires, according to the blessing of the Lord your God which He has given you; the unclean and the clean may eat of it, of the gazelle and the deer alike.
- New Living Translation (NLT)“But you may butcher your animals and eat their meat in any town whenever you want. You may freely eat the animals with which the Lord your God blesses you. All of you, whether ceremonially clean or unclean, may eat that meat, just as you now eat gazelle and deer.
Context of Deuteronomy 12:15
13Be careful not to sacrifice your burnt offerings anywhere you please. 14Offer them only at the place the Lord will choose in one of your tribes, and there observe everything I command you. Nevertheless, you may slaughter your animals in any of your towns and eat as much of the meat as you want, as if it were gazelle or deer, according to the blessing the Lord your God gives you. Both the ceremonially unclean and the clean may eat it. 16But you must not eat the blood; pour it out on the ground like water. 17You must not eat in your own towns the tithe of your grain and new wine and olive oil, or the firstborn of your herds and flocks, or whatever you have vowed to give, or your freewill offerings or special gifts.
Read all of Deuteronomy 12Deuteronomy 12:15 word by word
רַק֩ בְּכָל־אַוַּ֨ת נַפְשְׁךָ֜ תִּזְבַּ֣ח׀ וְאָכַלְתָּ֣ בָשָׂ֗ר כְּבִרְכַּ֨ת יְהוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָֽתַן־לְךָ֖ בְּכָל־שְׁעָרֶ֑יךָ הַטָּמֵ֤א וְהַטָּהוֹר֙ יֹאכְלֶ֔נּוּ כַּצְּבִ֖י וְכָאַיָּֽל׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Notwithstanding thou mayest killזָבַחzâbach · to sacrificeH2076
- and eatאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
- fleshבָּשָׂרbâώâr · fleshH1320
- in all thy gatesשַׁ֫עַרsha‛ar · gate: townH8179
- whatsoever thy soulנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: myselfH5315
- lusteth afterאַוָּה'avvâh · desireH185
- according to the blessingבְּרָכָהberâkâh · blessingH1293
- of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- thy Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- which he hath givenנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
- thee: the uncleanטָמֵאţâmê' · uncleanH2931
- and the cleanטָהוֹרţâhôr ţâhôr · pureH2889
- thereof, as of the roebuckצְבִיtsebîy · gazelleH6643
- and as of the hartאַיָּל'ayâl · deerH354
Cross-references for Deuteronomy 12:15
- Deuteronomy 14:26Use the silver to buy whatever you like: cattle, sheep, wine or other fermented drink, or anything you wish. Then you and your household shall eat there in the presence of the Lord your God and rejoice.
- Deuteronomy 12:21If the place where the Lord your God chooses to put his Name is too far away from you, you may slaughter animals from the herds and flocks the Lord has given you, as I have commanded you, and in your own towns you may eat as much of them as you want.
- Deuteronomy 14:5the deer, the gazelle, the roe deer, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope and the mountain sheep.
- Deuteronomy 15:22You are to eat it in your own towns. Both the ceremonially unclean and the clean may eat it, as if it were gazelle or deer.
- Leviticus 17:3Any Israelite who sacrifices an ox, a lamb or a goat in the camp or outside of it
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 12:15
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15Thou mayest kill and eat flesh in all thy gates - With the proviso that the blood be poured out on the ground. The blood should not be eaten. It should be poured out by way of sacrifice. I think this is the meaning; and not that they should pour out the blood with as little ceremony and respect as they poured water upon the ground, which is the meaning according to Calmet and others. The roebuck, and - the hart - It is very likely that by צבי tsebi the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15While a stringent injunction is laid down that the old rule (compare Leviticus 17:3, etc.) must be adhered to as regards animals slain in sacrifice, yet permission is now given to slaughter at home what was necessary for the table. The ceremonial distinctions did not apply in such cases, anymore than to “the roebuck” (or gazelle) “and hart,” animals allowed for food but not for sacrifice.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 5-32Verses 5-32 The command to bring ALL the sacrifices to the door of the tabernacle, was now explained with reference to the promised land. As to moral service, then, as now, men might pray and worship every where, as they did in their synagogues. The place which God would choose, is said to be the place where he would put his name. It was to be his habitation, where, as King of Israel, he would be found by all who reverently sought him. Now, under the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15whenever you want, you may slaughter and eat meat: This means animals for eating, not for ceremonial sacrifice. ceremonially clean and unclean: They could slaughter animals for food without purification ceremonies needed for sacrificial animals.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. Notwithstanding thou mayest kill and eat flesh in all thy gates--Every animal designed for food, whether ox, goat, or lamb, was during the abode in the wilderness ordered to be slain as a peace offering at the door of the tabernacle; its blood to be sprinkled, and its fat burnt upon the altar by the priest. The encampment, being then round about the altar, made this practice, appointed to prevent idolatry, easy and practicable. But on the settlement…Read the comment
Topics related to Deuteronomy 12:15
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 12
- 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
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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