New Living Translation
Deuteronomy 12:15
15“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.
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.
- New International Version (NIV)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.
- 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.
Context of Deuteronomy 12:15
13Be careful not to sacrifice your burnt offerings just anywhere you like. 14You may do so only at the place the Lord will choose within one of your tribal territories. There you must offer your burnt offerings and do everything I command you. “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. 16But you must not consume the blood. You must pour it out on the ground like water. 17“But you may not eat your offerings in your hometown—neither the tithe of your grain and new wine and olive oil, nor the firstborn of your flocks and herds, nor any offering to fulfill a vow, nor your voluntary offerings, nor your sacred offerings.
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 14:26When you arrive, you may use the money to buy any kind of food you want—cattle, sheep, goats, wine, or other alcoholic drink. Then feast there in the presence of the Lord your God and celebrate with your household.
- Deuteronomy 12:21It might happen that the designated place of worship—the place the Lord your God chooses for his name to be honored—is a long way from your home. If so, you may butcher any of the cattle, sheep, or goats the Lord has given you, and you may freely eat the meat in your hometown, as I have commanded you.
- Deuteronomy 14:5the deer, the gazelle, the roe deer, the wild goat, the addax, the antelope, and the mountain sheep.
- Deuteronomy 15:22Instead, use it for food for your family in your hometown. Anyone, whether ceremonially clean or unclean, may eat it, just as anyone may eat a gazelle or deer.
- Leviticus 17:3“If any native Israelite sacrifices a bull or a lamb or a goat anywhere inside or outside the camp
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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