Deuteronomy 15:19

19 You must devote every oldest male animal from your herds or flocks to the LORD your God. Don't plow with your oldest male ox and don't shear your oldest male sheep.

Deuteronomy 15:19 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 15:19

All the firstling males that come of thy herd, or of thy
flock, thou shalt sanctify unto the Lord thy God
According to the law in ( Exodus 13:2 Exodus 13:12 Exodus 13:13 ) . (See Gill on Exodus 13:2); (See Gill on Exodus 13:12); (See Gill on Exodus 13:13);

thou shalt do no work with the firstling of thy bullock:
as to plough or tread out the corn with it, which were done with other heifers:

nor shear the firstling of thy sheep;
nor was the wool shorn of it to be made use of; one of the Jewish canons runs thus,

``if any man weave an hand's breadth of the wool of a firstling into cloth, the cloth is to be burnt ^F12.''

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FOOTNOTES:

F12 Misn. Orlah, c. 3. sect. 3.

Deuteronomy 15:19 In-Context

17 then you may take a needle and pierce his ear with it into the doorframe. From that point on, he will be your permanent servant. Do the same thing for female servants.)

18 Don't consider it a hardship to set these servants free from your service, because they worked for you for six years—at a value double that of a paid worker. The LORD your God will bless you in everything that you do.

19 You must devote every oldest male animal from your herds or flocks to the LORD your God. Don't plow with your oldest male ox and don't shear your oldest male sheep.

20 Year after year, you and your family are allowed to eat these animals in the presence of the LORD your God, in the location the LORD selects.

21 But if there is any defect in it, lameness, blindness, any flaw whatsoever, you must not sacrifice it to the LORD your God.