Deuteronomy 12:15-32

Slaughtering Animals to Eat

15 "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. Those who are clean or unclean may eat it, as they would a gazelle or deer,

16 but you must not eat the blood; pour it on the ground like water.^[a]

17 Within your gates you may not eat: the tenth of your grain, new wine, or oil; the firstborn of your herd or flock; any of your vow offerings that you pledge; your freewill offerings; or your personal contributions.^[b]

18 You must eat them in the presence of the Lord your God at the place the Lord your God chooses-you, your son and daughter, your male and female slave, and the Levite who is within your gates. Rejoice before the Lord your God in everything you do,^[c]

19 and be careful not to neglect the Levite, as long as you live in your land.

20 "When the Lord your God enlarges your territory as He has promised you,^[d] and you say, 'I want to eat meat' because you have a strong desire to eat meat, you may eat it whenever you want.

21 If the place where the Lord your God chooses to put His name is too far from you, you may slaughter any of your herd or flock He has given you, as I have commanded you, and you may eat it within your gates whenever you want.

22 Indeed, you may eat it as the gazelle and deer are eaten; both the clean and the unclean may eat it.

23 But don't eat the blood, since the blood is the life, and you must not eat the life with the meat.

24 Do not eat blood; pour it on the ground like water.

25 Do not eat it, so that you and your children after you will prosper, because you will be doing what is right in the Lord's sight.

26 "But you are to take the holy offerings you have and your vow offerings and go to the place the Lord chooses.

27 Present the meat and blood of your burnt offerings on the altar of the Lord your God. The blood of your [other] sacrifices is to be poured out beside the altar of the Lord your God, but you may eat the meat.

28 Be careful to obey all these things I command you, so that you and your children after you may prosper forever, because you will be doing what is good and right in the sight of the Lord your God.

29 "When the Lord your God annihilates the nations before you, which you are entering to take possession of, and you drive them out and live in their land,

30 be careful not to be ensnared by their ways after they have been destroyed before you. Do not inquire about their gods, asking, 'How did these nations worship their gods? I'll also do the same.'

31 You must not do the same to the Lord your God, because they practice for their gods every detestable thing the Lord hates. They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods.

32 ^[e] You must be careful to do everything I command you; do not add anything to it or take anything away from it.^[f]

Deuteronomy 12:15-32 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 12

In this chapter orders are given to destroy all altars, pillars, groves, and images, made for the worship of idols in the land of Canaan, De 12:1-3 and to bring all sacrifices and holy things unto the place which the Lord should choose for his habitation, and not do as they then did, not being come to their rest, De 12:4-14, flesh for their common food might be killed and eaten in their own houses, provided they did not eat the blood, but poured it out upon the earth, De 12:15-25, tithes, vows, and freewill offerings, were to be eaten in the holy place, De 12:17-19 and burnt offerings to be offered on the altar of the Lord and the blood of them to be poured out upon the altar, De 12:26-28, all which they were carefully to observe, De 12:29, and they are cautioned against idolatry, and inquiring after the manner of it, as practised by the old inhabitants of the land, and introducing their customs into the service of God, De 12:30-32.

Footnotes

• [a]. Lv 17:10-14
• [b]. Lit or the contributions from your hands
• [c]. Lit you put your hand to
• [d]. Ex 34:24
• [e]. Dt 13:1 in Hb
• [f]. Dt 4:2; Rv 22:18-19