Deuteronomy 12:18

18 but before Jehovah thy God shalt thou eat them in the place which Jehovah thy God will choose, thou and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy bondman, and thy handmaid, and the Levite that is within thy gates; and thou shalt rejoice before Jehovah thy God in all the business of thy hand.

Deuteronomy 12:18 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 12:18

But thou must eat them before the Lord thy God, in the place
which the Lord thy God shall choose
Which may be said to be eaten before him, being eaten in the place where his sanctuary stood, in which he dwelt:

thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy
maidservant, and the Levite that is within thy gates;
who were all to come with him to this place; (See Gill on Deuteronomy 12:12)

and thou shalt rejoice before the Lord thy God in all that thou puttest
thine hand unto;
cheerfully make and keep this feast in the manner directed to, rejoicing with his family and his friends, with the Levites and with the poor, expressing his thankfulness to God for his blessing on his labour.

Deuteronomy 12:18 In-Context

16 Only, ye shall not eat the blood; ye shall pour it upon the earth as water.
17 Thou mayest not eat within thy gates the tithe of thy corn, or of thy new wine, or of thine oil, or the firstlings of thy kine or of thy sheep, nor any of thy vows which thou vowest, nor thy voluntary-offerings, nor the heave-offering of thy hand;
18 but before Jehovah thy God shalt thou eat them in the place which Jehovah thy God will choose, thou and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy bondman, and thy handmaid, and the Levite that is within thy gates; and thou shalt rejoice before Jehovah thy God in all the business of thy hand.
19 Take heed to thyself that thou forsake not the Levite all the days thou shalt be in thy land.
20 When Jehovah thy God shall enlarge thy border, as he promised thee, and thou say, I will eat flesh, because thy soul longeth to eat flesh, thou mayest eat flesh, according to all the desire of thy soul.
The Darby Translation is in the public domain.