Deuteronomy 15:20

20 [Rather] {before Yahweh} your God you shall eat it year by year at the place Yahweh will choose, you and your household.

Deuteronomy 15:20 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 15:20

Thou shalt eat it before the Lord thy God, year by year
Which, if understood of male firstlings, as in connection with the preceding verse, only priests might eat of them, being devoted to the Lord; so Jarchi says, to the priest he speaks; but if this respects the Israelites in common, then they must be understood either of female firstlings or second firstlings, which the people voluntarily separated, and which they were not to eat in their own houses,

but in the place which the Lord shall choose,
which was the city of Jerusalem; see ( Deuteronomy 12:5 ) ,

thou and thy household;
the household of the priest, as Aben Ezra interprets it; but if it designs the same as in ( Deuteronomy 12:17 Deuteronomy 12:18 ) , then the Israelites and their families are meant.

Deuteronomy 15:20 In-Context

18 It shall not be hard in your eyes {when you send him forth free}, because for six years he has served you [worth] twice the wage of a hired worker; and Yahweh your God will bless you {in whatever you will do}.

19 "Every firstling male that is born of your herd and of your flock you shall consecrate to Yahweh your God; you shall not do work with the firstling of your ox, and you shall not shear the firstling of your flock.

20 [Rather] {before Yahweh} your God you shall eat it year by year at the place Yahweh will choose, you and your household.

21 But if there is a physical defect in it, [such as] lameness or blindness, any serious defect, you shall not sacrifice it to Yahweh your God.

22 In your {towns} you shall eat it, the unclean and the clean together [may eat it], [just] as [they eat] the gazelle and as [they eat] the deer.

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally "in the face of Yahweh"