Deuteronomy 12:15

15 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.

Read Chapter Compare

PREVIOUS Deuteronomy 12:14 NEXT Deuteronomy 12:16

Deuteronomy 12:15 in Other Translations

KJV

15 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.

ESV

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.

NLT

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.

MSG

15 It's permissible to slaughter your nonsacrificial animals like gazelle and deer in your towns and eat all you want from them with the blessing of God, your God. Both the ritually clean and unclean may eat.

CSB

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,

Deuteronomy 12:15 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 12:15

Notwithstanding, thou mayest kill and eat flesh in all thy
gates
They might kill such cattle that were allowed for food, and eat the flesh of them in theie own cities and houses in which they dwelt; they were not obliged to bring these to the place God should choose, and kill them there, as they had been wont to bring them to the tabernacle while in the wilderness:

whatsoever thy soul lusteth after;
whatever they had a mind to, or their appetite craved, and were desirous of, provided it was not any thing forbidden, but was allowed to be eaten:

according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which he hath given thee;
which it was in the power of their hands to procure for themselves; they might live according to their abilities, and keep a table answerable to what God had blessed them with; from which they were so far from being restrained, that it was rather commendable in them so to do, provided they did not indulge to luxury and intemperance:

the clean and the unclean may eat thereof;
that is, such in their families who laboured under any ceremonial uncleanness by the touch of a dead body, or by reason of issues and menstrues; these, as well as those who were free from anything of this kind, might eat of common food in their houses, though they might not eat of the holy things; see ( Leviticus 7:20 Leviticus 7:21 )

as of the roebuck, and as of the hart;
that is, as those were clean creatures, and allowed for food, ( Deuteronomy 14:5 ) so they might eat of oxen or sheep, or lambs or rams, and goats, though they were creatures used in sacrifice.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Deuteronomy 12:15 In-Context

13 Be careful not to sacrifice your burnt offerings anywhere you please.

14 Offer them only at the place the LORD will choose in one of your tribes, and there observe everything I command you.

16 But you must not eat the blood; pour it out on the ground like water.

17 You must not eat in your own towns the tithe of your grain and new wine and olive oil, or the firstborn of your herds and flocks, or whatever you have vowed to give, or your freewill offerings or special gifts.

Cross References 1

1. ver 20-23; ver 22; Deuteronomy 14:5; Deuteronomy 15:22