Deuteronomy 12:24 kjv
Thou shalt not eat it; thou shalt pour it upon the earth as water.
Deuteronomy 12:24 nkjv
You shall not eat it; you shall pour it on the earth like water.
Deuteronomy 12:24 niv
You must not eat the blood; pour it out on the ground like water.
Deuteronomy 12:24 esv
You shall not eat it; you shall pour it out on the earth like water.
Deuteronomy 12:24 nlt
Instead, pour out the blood on the ground like water.
Deuteronomy 12 24 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 9:4 | "But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood." | Initial post-flood prohibition. |
| Lev 3:17 | "It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations... eat no fat nor no blood." | Permanent statute. |
| Lev 7:26 | "You shall eat no blood whatever... of bird or beast." | Universal prohibition for all types of animals. |
| Lev 7:27 | "Whoever eats any blood, that person shall be cut off..." | Severe consequence for disobedience. |
| Lev 17:10 | "Any one of the house of Israel or of the strangers... who eats any blood, I will set My face against that person..." | Divine judgment for eating blood. |
| Lev 17:11 | "For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls..." | Life-atonement principle. |
| Lev 17:12 | "Therefore I have said to the people of Israel, No one among you shall eat blood..." | Command given because blood is for atonement. |
| Lev 17:13 | "And any man... hunts game... shall pour out its blood and cover it with dust." | Practical instruction for game animals. |
| Deut 12:16 | "Only you shall not eat the blood; you shall pour it out on the earth like water." | Repeats the prohibition in the context of Dt 12. |
| Deut 12:23 | "Only be sure that you do not eat the blood, for the blood is the life, and you shall not eat the life with the meat." | Direct reason for the prohibition. |
| Deut 15:23 | "Only you shall not eat its blood; you shall pour it out on the ground like water." | Another reiteration of the rule. |
| 1 Sam 14:32-34 | "Then the people fell upon the spoil and ate with the blood... Saul built an altar to the Lord; it was the first altar he built..." | Israelites sinned by eating blood in hunger. |
| Ezek 33:25 | "Therefore tell them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: You eat flesh with blood, and you lift up your eyes to your idols...'" | Eating blood linked to idolatry. |
| Acts 15:20 | "But should write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood." | Apostolic decree for Gentile believers. |
| Acts 15:29 | "That you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality." | Confirmation of the decree. |
| Acts 21:25 | "But concerning the Gentiles who have believed, we have written... they should keep themselves from what has been offered to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality." | Further reiteration in Acts. |
| Rom 14:1-23 | Discussion of "weak" and "strong" believers regarding dietary laws, not specifically blood, but underlying principle of conscience before God. | Broader dietary principles in NT. |
| 1 Cor 8:1-13 | On eating meat offered to idols, considering conscience. Similar broader principles. | Christian liberty and conscience. |
| Heb 9:22 | "Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins." | Blood's essential role in atonement. |
| Heb 12:24 | "And to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel." | Christ's blood provides ultimate redemption. |
| 1 Pet 1:18-19 | "You were ransomed... not with perishable things... but with the precious blood of Christ..." | Christ's precious blood as redemption price. |
Deuteronomy 12 verses
Deuteronomy 12 24 Meaning
Deuteronomy 12:24 provides a specific command regarding the blood of animals slaughtered for food outside the sanctuary. It emphatically forbids the consumption of blood, mandating its complete and irreversible disposal onto the ground, similar to how water is poured out. This ensures that the life-force, which the Bible associates uniquely with blood, is returned to God, the giver of all life, rather than being ingested by humans. This command establishes a clear distinction between the permitted act of eating meat and the absolute sacredness of the blood, highlighting God's sovereignty over life.
Deuteronomy 12 24 Context
Deuteronomy chapter 12 sets out fundamental instructions concerning the worship of God in the Promised Land. Prior to entering Canaan, all animal slaughter had sacrificial overtones, often occurring at the tabernacle entrance. However, upon settling the land, Israelites would be scattered and unable to bring every animal intended for food to a central sanctuary. Therefore, Deuteronomy 12 introduces the concept of "profane" slaughter, allowing people to kill and eat animals for food in their towns (vv. 15, 20-22), distinct from sacrificial offerings. This specific verse (12:24) follows immediately after this allowance, serving as a crucial restriction within the new regulations. It reiterates and enforces the long-standing prohibition against consuming blood (Gen 9:4, Lev 17:10-14), despite the shift in general slaughter practices. The context emphasizes reverence for God and the sacredness of life even in everyday activities like eating. It also serves as a polemic against pagan practices, where consuming blood might have been part of idol worship or necromancy, clearly distinguishing Israel's holy practices.
Deuteronomy 12 24 Word analysis
- You shall not eat it (לֹא תֹאכְלֶנּוּ, lo tok-lennu):
- "You shall not" (lo): A strong negative command, indicating an absolute prohibition. It is a direct, unavoidable directive.
- "eat it" (tok-lennu): Refers to the blood specifically. This prohibition applies to any form of consumption, reinforcing the complete separation of blood from human diet. This command establishes a core dietary law and a boundary of holiness for Israel.
- you shall pour it out (תִּשְׁפְּכֶנּוּ, tish-pə-khenu):
- "pour it out": The Hebrew verb here signifies draining or shedding, often used for liquid. It denotes an act of complete and irreversible disposal. The blood is not to be collected, stored, or put to any use by humans, save for the prescribed sacrificial rites. This act is a symbolic returning of the life to its source, God.
- on the ground (עַל־הָאָרֶץ, al ha'aretz):
- "on the ground": Emphasizes its return to the dust from which life came, signifying that the life-force, represented by blood, belongs exclusively to the Creator, not to man. It is to mix with the dust, rendering it unusable for any profane purpose, further reinforcing its sacred character and separating it from human commerce or consumption.
- like water (כַּמָּיִם, ka-mayim):
- "like water": This simile implies the manner of pouring – freely, completely, without any attempt to collect or conserve it. Water, once spilled on the ground, cannot easily be gathered or consumed. This image ensures the thorough and definitive disposal of the blood, leaving no remnant for potential consumption or misuse. It conveys that the act should be as natural and common as pouring out water, yet imbued with deep theological meaning regarding the sacredness of life.
Deuteronomy 12 24 Bonus section
This prohibition of eating blood carried a dual significance: theological and practical. Theologically, it perpetually reminded Israel that "the life of the flesh is in the blood" (Lev 17:11), and that life belongs to God. This truth forms the basis for the atoning sacrifice, where life (blood) is offered to God to make propitiation for sins. Practically, this law made it possible for the Israelites to eat meat anywhere in the land without needing to bring every animal to the central sanctuary as a sacrifice. By merely ensuring the blood was drained and properly disposed of, the secular act of eating meat for nourishment could proceed while still upholding the sacred principle that blood was uniquely holy. This adaptation facilitated daily life while preserving core theological truths and discouraging assimilation into pagan customs where blood rites were common.
Deuteronomy 12 24 Commentary
Deuteronomy 12:24 is a clear, concise re-statement of the immutable biblical law concerning blood consumption. It builds upon earlier commands (Genesis 9, Leviticus 17) that declare blood to be the very life of the creature, and thus consecrated to God alone. Its sacred nature, ordained for atonement on the altar, meant it could not be ingested by humans without profound disrespect to God's proprietorship over life and death. The allowance for "profane" slaughter in Deuteronomy 12 highlights the principle that while meat could be consumed for sustenance, the holiness of life, as represented by blood, remained non-negotiable. Pouring it "like water" symbolizes a complete release back to God, reinforcing His sovereignty and distinguishing Israel's practices from pagan rites that often involved blood consumption. This command therefore not only provided practical instruction for dietary purity but also instilled a profound reverence for life itself, as ultimately belonging to the divine Creator.