Deuteronomy 12 15

Deuteronomy 12:15 kjv

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.

Deuteronomy 12:15 nkjv

"However, you may slaughter and eat meat within all your gates, whatever your heart desires, according to the blessing of the LORD your God which He has given you; the unclean and the clean may eat of it, of the gazelle and the deer alike.

Deuteronomy 12:15 niv

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.

Deuteronomy 12:15 esv

"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.

Deuteronomy 12:15 nlt

"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.

Deuteronomy 12 verses

Deuteronomy 12 15 Meaning

Deuteronomy 12:15 grants permission for Israelites, once settled in the Promised Land, to slaughter and consume ordinary, non-sacrificial meat anywhere within their towns, wherever they dwell. This is a crucial exception to the earlier laws that concentrated all slaughter for consumption at the central sanctuary. It states that this privilege extends to any desired meat, and notably, applies to both ritually clean and unclean individuals, just as one would eat wild game like a roebuck or a hart. This freedom to eat is framed as a direct result of the abundant provision and blessing of the LORD their God.

Deuteronomy 12 15 Context

Deuteronomy Chapter 12 primarily addresses the centralisation of worship for the Israelites once they settle in the Promised Land. Prior to this, altars could be built in various places (Exod 20:24-26). Deuteronomy 12 emphatically commands the destruction of all pagan altars (vv. 2-3) and establishes one designated "place that the LORD your God will choose" (vv. 4-14) for sacrifices, offerings, and cultic worship. This central sanctuary would unite the twelve tribes under a common place of worship.

Verse 15 introduces a crucial practical concession or exception to this centralization. During the wilderness journey, all slaughtering of domestic animals was generally required to be performed as a sacred offering at the Tabernacle (Lev 17). This ensured that meat consumption was tied to covenant relationship and prevented syncretism with pagan practices. However, once Israel would be scattered across a large land, the requirement to bring every animal to a single central sanctuary for slaughter would be impractical, if not impossible. Therefore, Deut 12:15, along with the detailed explanation in verses 20-22, makes allowance for secular slaughter—that is, killing animals for ordinary food consumption, not as a sacrifice—anywhere within their towns. This allowed daily sustenance without the need for constant pilgrimage or sacralization of every meal.

Historically, this adaptation reflects the shift from a nomadic existence to a settled agricultural and urban life, showcasing God's practicality and understanding of His people's changing circumstances.

Deuteronomy 12 15 Word analysis

• Notwithstanding (אַךְ – ’akh): An emphatic particle meaning "but," "only," or "surely." Here, it marks a significant concession or exception, clearly distinguishing this permission from the prior command to centralize all cultic activity. It introduces a change of focus from sacrificial meat to common food.
• thou mayest kill and eat (וְזָבַחְתָּ וְאָכַלְתָּ – vĕzāvachְta vĕ’akhálְta):
  • kill (זָבַח – zāvach): While often meaning "to sacrifice," in this context (and Deut 12:21), the use clearly indicates "to slaughter" for common consumption, apart from the cultic ritual. The context defines the specific meaning.
  • eat (אָכַל – ’akhál): Simple verb for consuming food.
• flesh (בָּשָׂר – bāsār): General term for meat. It refers to domestic animals like cattle, sheep, and goats, intended for human consumption.
• in all thy gates (בְּכָל־שְׁעָרֶיךָ – bĕkhol-shĕ‘ārékhā):
  • gates (שַׁעַר – sha‘ar): The city gate was the administrative, judicial, and commercial hub of ancient Israelite towns. Metonymically, "in all thy gates" means "in all your towns" or "wherever you live/settle." It signifies a widespread, local permission, directly contrasting with the centralized sanctuary.
• whatsoever thy soul lusteth after (בְּכָל־אַוַּת נַפְשֶׁךָ – bĕkhol-’avvat naphshekhā):
  • lusteth after (אַוָּה – ’avvāh): "Desire" or "craving." Unlike instances where strong craving led to sin (e.g., Num 11:4-34, the craving for meat leading to God's wrath), here it refers to a natural, legitimate human desire for food. It emphasizes God's gracious allowance for the fulfillment of ordinary appetites, recognizing the human need for and enjoyment of food.
  • thy soul (נֶפֶשׁ – nephesh): Encompasses the whole person—their life, being, inner self, and appetites. It indicates a personal, genuine desire.
• according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee (כְּכֹל בִּרְכַּת יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֲשֶׁר נָתַן־לָךְ – kĕkhol bikhkat YHVH Elohékha ’ăsher nātan-lakh):
  • blessing (בְּרָכָה – bĕrākāh): Refers to the divine favor, prosperity, and abundant provision granted by God. This crucial phrase emphasizes that the ability to acquire and consume meat is not merely a matter of human choice or economic ability but a direct gift and gracious provision from God Himself. Even daily food is ultimately from Him.
  • LORD thy God (יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ – YHVH Elohékha): "Yahweh, your God" – highlights the covenant relationship between the holy God of Israel and His chosen people, implying His ongoing care and commitment.
• the unclean and the clean may eat thereof (הַטָּמֵא וְהַטָּהוֹר יֹאכְלֶנּוּ – hat-ṭāmē’ vĕhat-ṭāhōr yōkhelennū):
  • unclean (טָמֵא – ṭāmē’): Refers to a state of ritual impurity (e.g., from contact with a dead body, childbirth, skin disease, or bodily discharges; see Lev 15, Num 19). A ritually "unclean" person was barred from entering the Tabernacle/Temple or eating sacred food, but not from common life. This statement signifies that meat slaughtered for common consumption (non-sacrificial meat) does not impart or absorb ritual impurity; it can be eaten regardless of one's ritual status.
  • clean (טָהוֹר – ṭāhōr): Refers to ritual purity. The pairing emphasizes that no ritual distinction is required for common eating.
• as of the roebuck, and as of the hart (כַּצְּבִי וְכָאַיָּל – khatstsvī vĕkha’ayāl):
  • roebuck (צְבִי – tsvi): Often translated as gazelle or deer.
  • hart (אַיָּל – ’ayyāl): Stag or male deer. These were wild, ritually clean animals (see Deut 14:5) that were hunted for food. Crucially, they were never brought to the altar for sacrifice because they were not domesticated livestock suitable for offerings. Therefore, consuming them was inherently a non-cultic, common act. By comparing domestically slaughtered meat to roebucks and harts, the verse reinforces that this permitted meat is secular, akin to wild game, and entirely separate from sacrificial regulations.

Word-group Analysis:

• "thou mayest kill and eat flesh in all thy gates, whatsoever thy soul lusteth after": This sweeping statement of permission illustrates the vast change in regulation. It decentralizes daily meat consumption and permits it based on a person's desire, distinguishing it sharply from a mandatory pilgrimage to the central sanctuary for cultic purposes. It shows God's care for the practical realities of a widespread population.
• "according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee": This crucial clause elevates ordinary eating beyond mere subsistence. It connects the freedom to consume meat with God's overarching covenant blessings and generosity. Even mundane activities are sanctified when recognized as gifts from the Divine Giver, fostering gratitude and dependence on Him.
• "the unclean and the clean may eat thereof, as of the roebuck, and as of the hart": This clarifies the legal status of the meat. By drawing a parallel to wild game, the verse signals that this meat does not fall under the strict purity laws applied to sacred offerings. Its consumption does not depend on the eater's ritual purity. This flexibility ensures that the cultic law's requirements do not make daily life impossibly burdensome, underscoring the distinction between sacred rituals and common life while still maintaining dietary purity laws (which roebuck and hart exemplify as clean animals).

Deuteronomy 12 15 Bonus section

• This Deuteronomic permission (often referred to as the "Law of Common Slaughter") illustrates a dynamic aspect of divine law, where general principles (e.g., centralization of worship) are balanced with specific allowances for practical life, ensuring that adherence to divine commands does not become physically or logistically impossible.
• The emphasis on "the blessing of the LORD" connects daily physical sustenance directly to God's broader covenant promises of prosperity and land, underscoring that all good things flow from His hand (Deut 8:7-10; Deut 28:1-14).
• The clear distinction between sacred/holy food (which requires ritual cleanness for consumption) and common/secular food (which does not) in this verse foreshadows theological discussions in the New Testament about food and purity (e.g., Mk 7:18-23; Acts 10:9-16; Rom 14:14; 1 Tim 4:4-5), where the emphasis shifts even further from external dietary restrictions to internal spiritual purity and conscience.

Deuteronomy 12 15 Commentary

Deuteronomy 12:15 provides a compassionate and pragmatic adjustment to the laws concerning meat consumption, anticipating the realities of life in the Promised Land. Earlier in the wilderness, the requirement was for all slaughter of domestic animals to occur at the Tabernacle as an offering (Lev 17). While effective in unifying the people and preventing idolatry around the sacred dwelling, this practice would be unsustainable once Israel spread throughout Canaan, with many families living far from the designated central sanctuary.

This verse therefore introduces the concept of "secular slaughter," permitting the killing of animals for ordinary food consumption anywhere "in all thy gates" (i.e., in any town or settlement), driven by a simple desire for meat ("whatsoever thy soul lusteth after"). This demonstrates God's profound understanding of human practical needs and His benevolent provision, rather than a rigid imposition of burdensome ritual. The fact that this freedom is "according to the blessing of the LORD" frames even ordinary eating as a gracious gift and a direct outcome of God's covenant generosity and prosperity. It encourages the Israelites to see their daily sustenance not as a mere right but as divine provision, grounding even the mundane act of eating in an awareness of God's care.

Crucially, the verse explicitly differentiates this common meat from sacrificial meat by stating that "the unclean and the clean may eat thereof, as of the roebuck, and as of the hart." This signifies a vital legal distinction. Sacred meat, portions of sacrifices, could only be consumed by those in a state of ritual purity. However, common meat, like wild game (roebuck or hart), which was never part of a sacrificial offering, was not bound by such cultic restrictions. A person ritually unclean due to contact with a dead body or certain bodily discharges (as per Levitical laws) would still be able to partake of this everyday food. This ensures that routine life and family meals could proceed without the constant need for ritual purification tied to every meat dish, emphasizing that ritual purity was primarily for engagement with holy things and spaces, not for basic sustenance. This divine concession maintains the sanctity of the central worship while allowing practicality and liberty in daily life, demonstrating the compassion of God in adapting His law to suit His people's needs and environment.