Deuteronomy 12:16-25

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.
18 Instead, you are to eat them in the presence of the LORD your God at the place the LORD your God will choose—you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levites from your towns—and you are to rejoice before the LORD your God in everything you put your hand to.
19 Be careful not to neglect the Levites as long as you live in your land.
20 When the LORD your God has enlarged your territory as he promised you, and you crave meat and say, “I would like some meat,” then you may eat as much of it as you want.
21 If the place where the LORD your God chooses to put his Name is too far away from you, you may slaughter animals from the herds and flocks the LORD has given you, as I have commanded you, and in your own towns you may eat as much of them as you want.
22 Eat them as you would gazelle or deer. Both the ceremonially unclean and the clean may eat.
23 But be sure you do not eat the blood, because the blood is the life, and you must not eat the life with the meat.
24 You must not eat the blood; pour it out on the ground like water.
25 Do not eat it, so that it may go well with you and your children after you, because you will be doing what is right in the eyes of the LORD.

Deuteronomy 12:16-25 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.

Cross References 23

  • 1. S Genesis 9:4; Leviticus 7:26; Leviticus 17:10-12; Acts 15:20
  • 2. ver 23-24; S Genesis 35:14; 1 Chronicles 11:18; Jeremiah 7:18
  • 3. S Leviticus 17:13; S Deuteronomy 15:23; John 19:34
  • 4. S Leviticus 27:30
  • 5. S Numbers 18:12
  • 6. ver 26; Numbers 18:19
  • 7. Deuteronomy 14:23; Deuteronomy 15:20
  • 8. Deuteronomy 14:23; Deuteronomy 15:20
  • 9. ver 5
  • 10. ver 7,12; Deuteronomy 14:26; Nehemiah 8:10; Ecclesiastes 3:12-13; Ecclesiastes 5:18-20
  • 11. ver 12; Deuteronomy 14:27; Nehemiah 13:10
  • 12. Malachi 3:8
  • 13. S Exodus 34:24; Deuteronomy 19:8
  • 14. S Genesis 15:8; Genesis 15:18; S Deuteronomy 11:24
  • 15. S Exodus 16:3
  • 16. Deuteronomy 14:24
  • 17. Leviticus 17:4
  • 18. S ver 15
  • 19. ver 16; Genesis 9:4; S Leviticus 7:26; Leviticus 17:11,14
  • 20. Ezekiel 33:25
  • 21. ver 16
  • 22. S Deuteronomy 4:40; Isaiah 3:10
  • 23. ver 28; Exodus 15:26; Deuteronomy 13:18; 1 Kings 11:38; 2 Kings 12:2
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