Deuteronomy 12:17

17 You may not eat within your towns 1the tithe of your grain or of your wine or of your oil, or the firstborn of your herd or of your flock, or any of your vow offerings that you vow, or your freewill offerings or the contribution that you present,

Deuteronomy 12:17 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 12:17

Thou mayest not eat within thy gates the tithe of thy corn, or
of thy wine, or of thy oil
This cannot be understood of the tithe given to the Levites, or of that which the Levites out of theirs gave to the priests, for that was only eaten by them; but of the tithe which every three years they were to lay up within their gates, and which they were to eat with their families and others; but the other two years they were to carry it to the place the Lord chose, or turn it into money, and when they came thither purchase with it what they pleased, and eat it, they and their household, and others with them, before the Lord; see ( Deuteronomy 14:22-29 ) ,

the firstlings of thy herds or of thy flocks;
these also the firstborn males belonged to the Lord, and so to the priests, and could not be eaten by the people any where; and must be understood either of the next firstlings, which were the people's, or of the female firstlings, which they might devote to the Lord, and so not allowed to eat at home, but in the chosen place:

nor any of thy vows which thou vowest, nor thy freewill offerings;
which were species of peace offerings, and so to be eaten not in their own cities, but in the place appointed:

or heave offerings of thine hand;
the firstfruits; see ( Deuteronomy 26:1-11 ) these were such they were not bound to bring, but brought them freely.

Deuteronomy 12:17 In-Context

15 "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.
16 Only you shall not eat the blood; you shall pour it out on the earth like water.
17 You may not eat within your towns the tithe of your grain or of your wine or of your oil, or the firstborn of your herd or of your flock, or any of your vow offerings that you vow, or your freewill offerings or the contribution that you present,
18 but you shall eat them before the LORD your God in the place that the LORD your God will choose, you and your son and your daughter, your male servant and your female servant, and the Levite who is within your towns. And you shall rejoice before the LORD your God in all that you undertake.
19 Take care that you do not neglect the Levite as long as you live in your land.

Cross References 1

  • 1. [See ver. 6 above]
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.