Deuteronomy 12:23

23 Only be sure not to eat the blood; for the blood is the soul (or the life), and thou art not to eat the soul with its flesh.

Deuteronomy 12:23 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 12:23

Only be sure that thou eat not the blood
This is repeated again, that they might be careful to observe the law concerning that:

for the blood is the life:
which is the reason given for the prohibition of it, (See Gill on Leviticus 17:11),

and thou mayest not eat the life with the flesh:
by which it seems that the meaning of the law was, that the blood might not be eaten in or with the flesh, but to be let out of it, or the fish not to be eaten raw, but dressed; for there were various laws about eating of blood, which are differently expressed.

Deuteronomy 12:23 In-Context

21 When the place which the LORD thy God shall have chosen to put his name there is far from thee, then thou shalt kill of thy cows and of thy sheep, which the LORD has given thee, as I have commanded thee, and thou shalt eat in thy gates according to all thy soul desires.

22 Even as the roebuck and the hart is eaten, so thou shalt eat them; the unclean and the clean shall eat of them alike.

23 Only be sure not to eat the blood; for the blood is the soul (or the life), and thou art not to eat the soul with its flesh.

24 Thou shalt not eat it; thou shalt pour it upon the earth as water.

25 Thou shalt not eat it that it may go well with thee and with thy children after thee, when thou shalt do that which is right in the sight of the LORD.