Deuteronomy 12

Deuteronomy · Chapter 12

Deuteronomy 12:15

1These are the statutes and judgments, which ye shall observe to do in the land, which the LORD God of thy fathers giveth thee to possess it, all the days that ye live upon the earth.2Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations which ye shall possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree:3And ye shall overthrow their altars, and break their pillars, and burn their groves with fire; and ye shall hew down the graven images of their gods, and destroy the names of them out of that place.4Ye shall not do so unto the LORD your God.5But unto the place which the LORD your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come:6And thither ye shall bring your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and heave offerings of your hand, and your vows, and your freewill offerings, and the firstlings of your herds and of your flocks:7And there ye shall eat before the LORD your God, and ye shall rejoice in all that ye put your hand unto, ye and your households, wherein the LORD thy God hath blessed thee.8Ye shall not do after all the things that we do here this day, every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes.9For ye are not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance, which the LORD your God giveth you.10But when ye go over Jordan, and dwell in the land which the LORD your God giveth you to inherit, and when he giveth you rest from all your enemies round about, so that ye dwell in safety;11Then there shall be a place which the LORD your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell there; thither shall ye bring all that I command you; your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the heave offering of your hand, and all your choice vows which ye vow unto the LORD:12And ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God, ye, and your sons, and your daughters, and your menservants, and your maidservants, and the Levite that is within your gates; forasmuch as he hath no part nor inheritance with you.13Take heed to thyself that thou offer not thy burnt offerings in every place that thou seest:14But in the place which the LORD shall choose in one of thy tribes, there thou shalt offer thy burnt offerings, and there thou shalt do all that I command thee.15Notwithstanding 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.16Only ye shall not eat the blood; ye shall pour it upon the earth as water.17Thou mayest not eat within thy gates the tithe of thy corn, or of thy wine, or of thy oil, or the firstlings of thy herds or of thy flock, nor any of thy vows which thou vowest, nor thy freewill offerings, or heave offering of thine hand:18But thou must eat them before the LORD thy God in the place which the LORD thy God shall choose, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite that is within thy gates: and thou shalt rejoice before the LORD thy God in all that thou puttest thine hands unto.19Take heed to thyself that thou forsake not the Levite as long as thou livest upon the earth.20When the LORD thy God shall enlarge thy border, as he hath promised thee, and thou shalt say, I will eat flesh, because thy soul longeth to eat flesh; thou mayest eat flesh, whatsoever thy soul lusteth after.21If the place which the LORD thy God hath chosen to put his name there be too far from thee, then thou shalt kill of thy herd and of thy flock, which the LORD hath given thee, as I have commanded thee, and thou shalt eat in thy gates whatsoever thy soul lusteth after.22Even as the roebuck and the hart is eaten, so thou shalt eat them: the unclean and the clean shall eat of them alike.23Only be sure that thou eat not the blood: for the blood is the life; and thou mayest not eat the life with the flesh.24Thou shalt not eat it; thou shalt pour it upon the earth as water.25Thou shalt not eat it; that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, when thou shalt do that which is right in the sight of the LORD.26Only thy holy things which thou hast, and thy vows, thou shalt take, and go unto the place which the LORD shall choose:27And thou shalt offer thy burnt offerings, the flesh and the blood, upon the altar of the LORD thy God: and the blood of thy sacrifices shall be poured out upon the altar of the LORD thy God, and thou shalt eat the flesh.28Observe and hear all these words which I command thee, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee for ever, when thou doest that which is good and right in the sight of the LORD thy God.29When the LORD thy God shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land;30Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise.31Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God: for every abomination to the LORD, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods.32What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
15Notwithstanding 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.But whenever you want, you may slaughter and eat meat within any of your gates, according to the blessing the LORD your God has given you. Both the ceremonially clean and unclean may eat it as they would a gazelle or deer,Notwithstanding, thou mayest kill and eat flesh within all thy gates, after all the desire of thy soul, according to the blessing of Jehovah thy God which he hath given thee: the unclean and the clean may eat thereof, as of the gazelle, and as of the hart.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
onlyרַק֩rakH7535
except

רַק (raq) 1) only, altogether, surely 1a) only 1b) only, nought but, altogether (in limitation) 1c) save, except (after a negative) 1d) only, altogether, surely (with an affirmative) 1e) if only, provided only (prefixed for emphasis) 1f) only, exclusively (for emphasis)

in allבְּכָל־be-kholH3605
all

כֹּל (kol) 1) all, the whole 1a) all, the whole of 1b) any, each, every, anything 1c) totality, everything Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

[the] desire ofאַוַּ֨ת'a-VATH0185
desire

אַוָּה (av.vah) desire, lust, will (not necessarily evil)

self yourנַפְשְׁךָ֜naf-she-KHAH5315I
soul

נֶ֫פֶשׁ (ne.phesh) 1) soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion 1a) that which breathes, the breathing substance or being, soul, the inner being of man 1b) living being 1c) living being (with life in the blood) 1d) the man himself, self, person or individual 1e) seat of the appetites 1f) seat of emotions and passions 1g) activity of mind 1g1) uncertain 1h) activity of the will 1h1) uncertain 1i) activity of the character 1i1) uncertain

you will slaughterתִּזְבַּ֣ח׀tiz-BACHH2076
to sacrifice

דְּבַח (de.vach) (P'al) to sacrifice Aramaic of za.vach (זָבַח "to sacrifice" H2076)

and you will eatוְאָכַלְתָּ֣ve-'a-khal-TAH0398
to eat

אָכַל (a.khal) 1) to eat, devour, burn up, feed 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to eat (human subject) 1a2) to eat, devour (of beasts and birds) 1a3) to devour, consume (of fire) 1a4) to devour, slay (of sword) 1a5) to devour, consume, destroy (inanimate subjects - ie, pestilence, drought) 1a6) to devour (of oppression) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be eaten (by men) 1b2) to be devoured, consumed (of fire) 1b3) to be wasted, destroyed (of flesh) 1c) (Pual) 1c1) to cause to eat, feed with 1c2) to cause to devour 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to feed 1d2) to cause to eat 1e) (Piel) 1e1) consume Aramaic equivalent: a.khal (אֲכַל "to devour" H0399)

meatבָשָׂ֗רva-SARH1320
flesh

בָּשָׂר (ba.sar) 1) flesh 1a) of the body 1a1) of humans 1a2) of animals 1b) the body itself 1c) male organ of generation (euphemism) 1d) kindred, blood-relations 1e) flesh as frail or erring (man against God) 1f) all living things 1g) animals 1h) mankind Aramaic equivalent: be.shar (בְּשַׁר "flesh" H1321)

according to [the] blessing ofכְּבִרְכַּ֨תke-vir-KATH1293
blessing

בְּרָכָה (be.ra.khah) 1) blessing 2) (source of) blessing 3) blessing, prosperity 4) blessing, praise of God 5) a gift, present 6) treaty of peace

Yahwehיְהוָ֧הYAH-wehH3068G
Lord

אֲדֹנָי (a.do.nai) Lord - a title, spoken in place of Yahweh in Jewish display of reverence Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)

God yourאֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ'e-lo-HEI-khaH0430G
God

אֱלֹהִים (e.lo.him) This name means "gods" (plural intensive-singular meaning), "God" Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)

whichאֲשֶׁ֥ר'a-SHERH0834A
which

אֲשֶׁר (a.sher) A: 1) (relative part.) 1a) which, who 1b) that which 2) (conj) 2a) that (in obj clause) 2b) when 2c) since 2d) as 2e) conditional if B: Beth+ 1) in (that) which 2) (adv) 2a) where 3) (conj) 3a) in that, inasmuch as 3b) on account of C: Mem+ 1) from (or than) that which 2) from (the place) where 3) from (the fact) that, since D: Kaph+ 1) (conj.), according as, as, when 1a) according to that which, according as, as 1b) with a causal force: in so far as, since 1c) with a temporal force: when

he has givenנָֽתַן־na-tan-H5414G
to give: give

נָתַן (na.tan) : give/deliver/send/produce 1) to give, put, set 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to give, bestow, grant, permit, ascribe, employ, devote, consecrate, dedicate, pay wages, sell, exchange, lend, commit, entrust, give over, deliver up, yield produce, occasion, produce, requite to, report, mention, utter, stretch out, extend 1a2) to put, set, put on, put upon, set, appoint, assign, designate 1a3) to make, constitute 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be given, be bestowed, be provided, be entrusted to, be granted to, be permitted, be issued, be published, be uttered, be assigned 1b2) to be set, be put, be made, be inflicted …

in allבְּכָל־be-kholH3605
all

כֹּל (kol) 1) all, the whole 1a) all, the whole of 1b) any, each, every, anything 1c) totality, everything Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

gates yourשְׁעָרֶ֑יךָshe-'a-REI-khaH8179H
gate

שַׁ֫עַר (sha.ar) : gate 1) gate 1a) gate (of entrance) 1b) gate (of space inside gate, i.e. marketplace, public meeting place) 1b1) city, town 1c) gate (of palace, royal castle, temple, court of tabernacle) 1d) heaven

the uncleanהַטָּמֵ֤אha-ta-ME'H2931
unclean

טָמֵא (ta.me) 1) unclean, impure 1a) ethically and religiously 1b) ritually 1c) of places

and the cleanוְהַטָּהוֹר֙ve-ha-ta-hOrH2889
pure

טָהוֹר (ta.hor) 1) pure, clean 1a) clean (ceremonially-of animals) 1b) pure (physically) 1c) pure, clean (morally, ethically)

he will eat itיֹאכְלֶ֔נּוּyo-khe-LE-nuH0398
to eat

אָכַל (a.khal) 1) to eat, devour, burn up, feed 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to eat (human subject) 1a2) to eat, devour (of beasts and birds) 1a3) to devour, consume (of fire) 1a4) to devour, slay (of sword) 1a5) to devour, consume, destroy (inanimate subjects - ie, pestilence, drought) 1a6) to devour (of oppression) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be eaten (by men) 1b2) to be devoured, consumed (of fire) 1b3) to be wasted, destroyed (of flesh) 1c) (Pual) 1c1) to cause to eat, feed with 1c2) to cause to devour 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to feed 1d2) to cause to eat 1e) (Piel) 1e1) consume Aramaic equivalent: a.khal (אֲכַל "to devour" H0399)

like the gazelleכַּצְּבִ֖יka-tze-VIH6643B
gazelle

צְבִי (tse.vi) 1) roebuck, gazelle 1a) perhaps an extinct animal, exact meaning unknown Also means: tse.viy.yah (צְבִיָּה "gazelle" H6646)

and like the deerוְכָאַיָּֽל׃ve-kha-'ai-YALH0354
deer

אַיָּל (ay.yal) stag, deer, hart

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.