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Friday, July 25th, 2025
the Week of Proper 11 / Ordinary 16
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Douay-Rheims Bible

Deuteronomy 12:15

But if thou desirest to eat, and the eating of flesh delight thee, kill, and eat according to the blessing of the Lord thy God, which he hath given thee, in thy cities: whether it be unclean, that is to say, having blemish or defect: or clean, that is to say, sound and without blemish, such as may be offered, as the roe, and the hart, shalt thou eat it:

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Deer;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Beasts;   Hart, the;   Roe, the;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Hart;   Lust;   Roe and Roebuck;   Sacrifice;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Blood;   Life;   Nature;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Israel;   Psalms, Theology of;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Heart;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Hart;   Roe;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Deuteronomy, the Book of;   Jerusalem;   Roe;   Tithes;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Animals;   Deuteronomy, the Book of;   Doe;   Pentateuch;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Crimes and Punishments;   Deuteronomy;   Food;   Hart, Hind;   Hunting;   Priests and Levites;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Hart,;   Lust, to;   Roe, Roebuck;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Hart;   High places;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Altar;   Hart;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Peculiarities of the Law of Moses;   Conquest of Canaan;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Deer;   Food;   Gazelle;   Lust;   Maccabees, Books of;   Roe;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Commandments, the 613;   Fat;   Hart;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“But whenever you want, you may slaughter and eat meat within any of your city gates, according to the blessing the Lord your God has given you. Those who are clean or unclean may eat it, as they would a gazelle or deer,
Hebrew Names Version
Notwithstanding, you may kill and eat flesh within all your gates, after all the desire of your soul, according to the blessing of the LORD your God which he has given you: the unclean and the clean may eat of it, as of the gazelle, and as of the hart.
King James Version
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.
Lexham English Bible
"But whenever you desire you may slaughter, and you may eat meat according to the blessing of Yahweh your God that he has given to you in all of your towns; the unclean and the clean may eat it just as they would the gazelle and as the deer.
English Standard Version
"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.
New Century Version
But you may kill your animals in any of your towns and eat as much of the meat as you want, as if it were a deer or a gazelle; this is the blessing the Lord your God is giving you. Anyone, clean or unclean, may eat this meat,
New English Translation
On the other hand, you may slaughter and eat meat as you please when the Lord your God blesses you in all your villages. Both the ritually pure and impure may eat it, whether it is a gazelle or an ibex.
Amplified Bible
"However, you may slaughter and eat meat within any of your [city] gates, whatever you wish, according to the blessing of the LORD your God which He has given you [as His generous provision for daily life]. The [ceremonially] unclean and the clean may eat it, such as the gazelle and the deer.
New American Standard Bible
"However, you may slaughter and eat meat within any of your gates, whatever you desire, according to the blessing of the LORD your God which He has given you; the unclean and the clean alike may eat it, as the gazelle and the deer.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Notwithstanding thou maiest kill and eate flesh in all thy gates, whatsoeuer thine heart desireth, according to the blessing of the Lorde thy God which he hath giuen thee: both the vncleane and the cleane may eate thereof, as of the roe bucke, and of the hart.
Legacy Standard Bible
"However, you may sacrifice and eat meat within any of your gates, whatever you desire, according to the blessing of Yahweh your God which He has given you; the unclean and the clean may eat of it, as of the gazelle and the deer.
Complete Jewish Bible
However, you may slaughter and eat meat wherever you live and whenever you want, in keeping with the degree to which Adonai your God has blessed you. The unclean and the clean may eat it, as if it were gazelle or deer.
Darby Translation
Nevertheless, according to all the desire of thy soul thou mayest slay and eat flesh in all thy gates, according to the blessing of Jehovah thy God which he hath given thee: the unclean and the clean may eat thereof, as of the gazelle, and the hart.
Easy-to-Read Version
"Whenever you want to eat meat, you can enjoy that blessing from the Lord your God wherever you live. You can butcher the animal just as you do gazelles and deer, and anyone, clean or unclean, can eat it.
George Lamsa Translation
Notwithstanding you may slaughter and eat meat in all your towns, whatever your soul may desire, according to the blessing of the LORD your God which he has given you; the unclean and the clean may be eaten, such as of the gazelle, and as of the hart.
Good News Translation
"But you are free to kill and eat your animals wherever you live. You may eat as many as the Lord gives you. All of you, whether ritually clean or unclean, may eat them, just as you would eat the meat of deer or antelope.
Literal Translation
Only with all the desire of your soul you shall sacrifice and shall eat flesh within all your gates according to the blessing of Jehovah your God which He has given you; the unclean and the clean one may eat of it, as of the gazelle and as ofthe hart.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Notwtstondinge thou mayest kyll and eate flesh within all thy gates, after all the desyre of thy soule, acordynge to the blessynge of the LORDE thy God, which he hath geue the: both the cleane and vncleane maye eate it, as of the Roo and herte,
American Standard Version
Notwithstanding, thou mayest kill and eat flesh within all thy gates, after all the desire of thy soul, according to the blessing of Jehovah thy God which he hath given thee: the unclean and the clean may eat thereof, as of the gazelle, and as of the hart.
Bible in Basic English
Only you may put to death animals, such as the gazelle or the roe, for your food in any of your towns, at the desire of your soul, in keeping with the blessing of the Lord your God which he has given you: the unclean and the clean may take of it.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Notwithstanding, thou mayest kyll and eate fleshe in all thy cities, whatsoeuer thy soule lusteth after, accordyng to the blessing of the Lorde thy God, whiche he hath geuen thee: both the vncleane and the cleane may eate therof, euen of the Roe bucke, and of the Hart.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Notwithstanding thou mayest kill and eat flesh within all thy gates, after all the desire of thy soul, 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 gazelle, and as of the hart.
King James Version (1611)
Notwithstanding, thou mayest kill and eate flesh in all thy gates, whatsoeuer thy soule lusteth after, according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which he hath giuen thee: the vncleane and the cleane may eate thereof, as of the Roe bucke, and as of the Hart.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
But thou shalt kill according to all thy desire, and shalt eat flesh according to the blessing of the Lord thy God, which he has given thee in every city; the unclean that is within thee and the clean shall eat it on equal terms, as the doe or the stag.
English Revised Version
Notwithstanding thou mayest kill and eat flesh within all thy gates, after all the desire of thy soul, 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 gazelle, and as of the hart.
Berean Standard Bible
But whenever you wish, you may slaughter and eat meat within any of your gates, according to the blessing the LORD your God has given you. Those who are clean or unclean may eat it, as they would a gazelle or deer,
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Forsothe if thou wolt ete, and the etyng of fleischis delitith thee, sle thou, and ete, bi the blessyng of thi Lord God, which he yaf to thee in thi citees, whether it is vnclene, `that is, spottid ether wemmed and feble, ether clene, `that is, hool in membris and with out wem, which is leueful to be offrid, thou schalt ete as a capret and hert; oneli without etyng of blood,
Young's Literal Translation
`Only, with all the desire of thy soul thou dost sacrifice, and hast eaten flesh according to the blessing of Jehovah thy God which He hath given to thee, in all thy gates; the unclean and the clean do eat it, as of the roe, and as of the hart.
Update Bible Version
Notwithstanding, you may kill and eat flesh inside all your gates, after all the desire of your soul, according to the blessing of Yahweh your God which he has given you: the unclean and the clean may eat thereof, as of the gazelle, and as of the hart.
Webster's Bible Translation
Notwithstanding, thou mayest kill and eat flesh in all thy gates, whatever thy soul desireth, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee: the unclean and the clean may eat of it as of the roebuck, and as of the hart.
World English Bible
Notwithstanding, you may kill and eat flesh within all your gates, after all the desire of your soul, according to the blessing of Yahweh your God which he has given you: the unclean and the clean may eat of it, as of the gazelle, and as of the hart.
New King James Version
"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.
New Living Translation
"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.
New Life Bible
"But you may kill and eat meat within any of your towns, as much as you want, as the Lord your God has given you His good gifts. Both the clean and the unclean may eat of it, as you would of the gazelle and the deer.
New Revised Standard
Yet whenever you desire you may slaughter and eat meat within any of your towns, according to the blessing that the Lord your God has given you; the unclean and the clean may eat of it, as they would of gazelle or deer.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Howbeit of anything thy soul desireth, mayest thou sacrifice and so eat flesh - according to the blessing of Yahweh thy God which he hath bestowed upon thee, in all thy gates, the unclean and the clean may eat thereof, - as the gazelle and as the hart,
Revised Standard Version
"However, you may slaughter and eat flesh within any of your towns, as much as you desire, according to the blessing of the LORD your God which he has given you; the unclean and the clean may eat of it, as of the gazelle and as of the hart.
THE MESSAGE
It's permissible to slaughter your nonsacrificial animals like gazelle and deer in your towns and eat all you want from them with the blessing of God , your God. Both the ritually clean and unclean may eat.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"However, you may slaughter and eat meat within any of your gates, whatever you desire, according to the blessing of the LORD your God which He has given you; the unclean and the clean may eat of it, as of the gazelle and the deer.

Contextual Overview

5 But you shall come to the place, which the Lord your God shall choose out of all your tribes, to put his name there, and to dwell in it: 6 And you shall offer in that place your holocausts and victims, the tithes and firstfruits of your hands and your vows and gifts, the firstborn of your herds and your sheep. 7 And you shall eat there in the sight of the Lord your God: and you shall rejoice in all things, whereunto you shall put your hand, you and your houses wherein the Lord your God hath blessed you. 8 You shall not do there the things we do here this day, every man that which seemeth good to himself. 9 For until this present time you are not come to rest, and to the possession, which the Lord your God will give you. 10 You shall pass over the Jordan, and shall dwell in the land which the Lord your God will give you, that you may have rest from all enemies round about: and may dwell without any fear, 11 In the place, which the Lord your God shall choose, that his name may be therein. Thither shall you bring all the things that I command you, holocausts, and victims, and tithes, and the firstfruits of your hands: and whatsoever is the choicest in the gifts which you shall vow to the Lord. 12 There shall you feast before the Lord your God, you and your sons and your daughters, your menservants and maidservants, and the Levite that dwelleth in your cities. For he hath no other part and possession among you. 13 Beware lest thou offer thy holocausts in every place that thou shalt see: 14 But in the place which the Lord shall choose in one of thy tribes shalt thou offer sacrifices, and shalt do all that I command thee.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

whatsoever: Deuteronomy 14:26

the unclean: Deuteronomy 12:21, Deuteronomy 12:22, Deuteronomy 14:5, Deuteronomy 15:22, Deuteronomy 15:23, Leviticus 17:3-5, Of the propriety of eating clean animals there could be no question, but the blood must be poured out: yet there were cases when they might kill and eat in all their gates such as the roebuck and the hart, or all clean wild beasts; for these being taken in hunting, and frequently shot by arrows, their blood could not be poured out at the altar

Reciprocal: Genesis 9:3 - Every Deuteronomy 12:20 - I will

Cross-References

Genesis 12:2
And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and magnify thy name, and thou shalt be blessed.
Genesis 12:4
So Abram went out as the Lord had commanded him, and Lot went with him: Abram was seventy-five years old when he went forth from Haran.
Genesis 12:5
And he took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all the substance which they had gathered, and the souls which they had gotten in Haran: and they went out to go into the land of Chanaan. And when they were come into it,
Genesis 12:16
And they used Abram well for her sake. And he had sheep and oxen and he asses, and men servants, and maid servants, and she asses, and camels.
Genesis 20:2
And he said of Sara his wife: She is my sister. So Abimelech the king of Gerara sent, and took her.
Genesis 40:2
And Pharao being angry with them, (now the one was chief butler, the other chief baker,)
Genesis 41:1
After two years Pharao had a dream. He thought he stood by the river,
Exodus 2:5
And behold the daughter of Pharao came down to wash herself in the river: and her maids walked by the river’s brink. And when she saw the basket in the sedges she sent one of her maids for it: and when it was brought,
Exodus 2:15
And Pharao heard of this word, and sought to kill Moses: but he fled from his sight, and abode in the land of Madian, and he sat down by a well.
1 Kings 3:1
And the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon, and he made affinity with Pharao, the king of Egypt: for he took his daughter, and brought her into the city of David: until he had made an end of building his own house, and the house of the Lord, and the wall of Jerusalem round about.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Notwithstanding, thou mayest kill and eat flesh in all thy gates,.... They might kill such cattle that were allowed for food, and eat the flesh of them in theie own cities and houses in which they dwelt; they were not obliged to bring these to the place God should choose, and kill them there, as they had been wont to bring them to the tabernacle while in the wilderness:

whatsoever thy soul lusteth after; whatever they had a mind to, or their appetite craved, and were desirous of, provided it was not any thing forbidden, but was allowed to be eaten:

according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which he hath given thee; which it was in the power of their hands to procure for themselves; they might live according to their abilities, and keep a table answerable to what God had blessed them with; from which they were so far from being restrained, that it was rather commendable in them so to do, provided they did not indulge to luxury and intemperance:

the clean and the unclean may eat thereof; that is, such in their families who laboured under any ceremonial uncleanness by the touch of a dead body, or by reason of issues and menstrues; these, as well as those who were free from anything of this kind, might eat of common food in their houses, though they might not eat of the holy things; see Leviticus 7:20

as of the roebuck, and as of the hart; that is, as those were clean creatures, and allowed for food, Deuteronomy 14:5 so they might eat of oxen or sheep, or lambs or rams, and goats, though they were creatures used in sacrifice.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

While a stringent injunction is laid down that the old rule (compare Leviticus 17:3, etc.) must be adhered to as regards animals slain in sacrifice, yet permission is now given to slaughter at home what was necessary for the table. The ceremonial distinctions did not apply in such cases, anymore than to “the roebuck” (or gazelle) “and hart,” animals allowed for food but not for sacrifice.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Deuteronomy 12:15. Thou mayest kill and eat flesh in all thy gates — With the proviso that the blood be poured out on the ground.

1. The blood should not be eaten.

2. It should be poured out by way of sacrifice. I think this is the meaning; and not that they should pour out the blood with as little ceremony and respect as they poured water upon the ground, which is the meaning according to Calmet and others.

The roebuck, and - the hart — It is very likely that by צבי tsebi the antelope is meant; and by איל aiyal, the hart or deer. This is the opinion of Dr. Shaw; and from the report of travellers we learn that both these animals are found in that desert to the present day. See Harmer, vol. iv., p. 25, c. Of the propriety of eating clean animals there could be no question, but the blood must be poured out yet there were cases in which they might kill and eat in all their gates, cities, and dwellings - such as the roebuck and the hart, or all clean wild beasts, for these being taken in hunting, and frequently shot by arrows, their blood could not be poured out at the altar. Therefore the command appears to take in only such tame beasts as were used for food.


 
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