Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Deuteronomy 12:15
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.
While a stringent injunction is laid down that the old rule (compare Lev 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.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 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 tsebi the antelope is meant; and by 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.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Thou mayest kill and eat flesh, to wit, for thy common use and food.
In all thy gates, i.e. thy cities or dwellings.
Whatsoever thy soul lusteth after; what you shall desire either for quantity or quality, provided always you observe the laws given you elsewhere about avoiding excess and uncleanness in the things you eat.
Which he hath given thee, according to thy quality and estate; whereby he manifestly condemns those who profusely and riotously spend other mens money, and live at a rate which their consciences know to be much above their ability; which certainly is an ungodly and unrighteous, though too common, practice.
The unclean, who is forbidden to eat of holy meats, Lev 7:20.
May eat thereof, to wit, of any sort of creatures, even of those sorts which are offered to God in sacrifices, which are as free to your use as the
roebuck and the
hart, which were not accepted in sacrifice, Lev 22:19; yet were clean beasts, Deu 14:5; and therefore here is a tacit exception of unclean beasts.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
15. Notwithstanding thou mayest killand eat flesh in all thy gatesEvery animal designed for food,whether ox, goat, or lamb, was during the abode in the wildernessordered to be slain as a peace offering at the door of thetabernacle; its blood to be sprinkled, and its fat burnt upon thealtar by the priest. The encampment, being then round about thealtar, made this practice, appointed to prevent idolatry, easy andpracticable. But on the settlement in the promised land, theobligation to slay at the tabernacle was dispensed with. The peoplewere left at liberty to prepare their meat in their cities or homes.
according to the blessing ofthe Lord thy God which he hath given theeThe style of livingshould be accommodated to one’s condition and meansprofuse andriotous indulgence can never secure the divine blessing.
the unclean and the clean mayeat thereofThe unclean here are those who were under someslight defilement, which, without excluding them from society, yetdebarred them from eating any of the sacred meats (Le7:20). They were at liberty freely to partake of common articlesof food.
of the roebuckthegazelle.
and as of the hartTheSyrian deer (Cervus barbatus) is a species between our red andfallow deer, distinguished by the want of a bis-antler, or secondbranch on the horns, reckoning from below, and for a spotted liverywhich is effaced only in the third or fourth year.
De12:16-25. BLOODPROHIBITED.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole 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 Le 7:20
as of the roebuck, and as of the hart; that is, as those were clean creatures, and allowed for food, De 14:5 so they might eat of oxen or sheep, or lambs or rams, and goats, though they were creatures used in sacrifice.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
But if these instructions were really to be observed by the people in Canaan, it was necessary that the law which had been given with reference to the journey through the wilderness, viz., that no animal should be slain anywhere else than at the tabernacle in the same manner as a slain-offering (Lev 17:3-6), should be abolished. This is done in Deu 12:15, where Moses, in direct connection with what goes before, allows the people, as an exception ( , only) to the rules laid down in Deu 12:4-14, to kill and eat flesh for their own food according to all their soul’s desire. Flesh that was slaughtered for food could be eaten by both clean and unclean, such for example as the roebuck and the hart, animals which could not be offered in sacrifice, and in which, therefore, the distinction between clean and unclean on the part of the eaters did not come into consideration at all.
Deu 12:16 But blood was forbidden to be eaten (see at Lev 17:10.). The blood was to be poured out upon the earth like water, that it might suck it in, receive it into its bosom.
Deu 12:17-19 Sacrificial meals could only be held at the sanctuary; and the Levite was not to be forgotten or neglected in connection with them (see at Deu 12:6, Deu 12:7, and Deu 12:12). , “ thou must not,” as in Deu 7:22.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
Deu 12:15
. Notwithstanding thou mayest kill. What precedes I have introduced in its proper place, viz., that they should not kill the sacrifices anywhere but in the sanctuary, of which there was only one in Judea. Here the permission to eat meat is given, provided that they do not offer the animals to God, but eat of them as of wild beasts. By way of example, two kinds are mentioned, the roe-buck and the hart, of which no offering was made. They are, therefore, freely allowed to eat meat wheresoever they pleased, with this exception, that they should not taste the blood; for, although this was observed by their forefathers before the giving of the Law, God ratifies it anew when He would gather a peculiar people to Himself. We know that immediately after the deluge, Noah and his posterity were commanded to abstain from blood; but, inasmuch as the greater part of mankind soon degenerated, it is probable that all nations neglected God’s command, and permitted to themselves a universal license on this point; and it is even questionable whether this observance, which was everywhere fallen into desuetude, prevailed among the family of Shem. Certainly it may be conjectured from the renewed promulgation of the law, that it was altogether obsolete; at any rate, God would have His chosen people distinguished by this mark of separation from heathen nations.
The reason of the prohibition which is now mentioned had already been declared, (18) viz., because the blood is the seat of life. But although it, was allowable to kill an animal for food, yet, was it a useful restraint to prevent inhumanity, that they should not touch the blood; for if they abstained from the blood of beasts, much more necessary was it to spare human blood. After God, therefore, has forbidden blood to be eaten, He immediately proceeds to speak of men themselves: “Whose sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.” (19) (Gen 9:4.) Hence I have deemed it appropriate to annex all the passages in which God commands the people to abstain from blood, to the Sixth Commandment. In itself, indeed, the eating of blood was a thing of no great importance: since, therefore, God so often inculcates a point of so little weight, it may be inferred that the law has some further object. To this may be added the severity of the punishment, for surely it was not a crime worthy of death to taste the blood of some little bird; and hence, also, it is manifested that the prohibition had another meaning, viz., that cruelty might be abhorred. And the words of Moses show that the eating of blood is not forbidden because it infected man with its uncleanness, but that they might account the life of man to be precious; for it is said, “the blood is the life,” which, in the opinion of Augustine, (20) is equivalent to its being “the sign of life;“ but Moses rather means that animal life is contained in the blood. Wherefore, blood, which represents the life, was not interdicted without reason, nor was it only sinful to eat the blood by itself, but also together with the flesh, as is expressly declared both in Deuteronomy and in the last passage from Leviticus.
(18) See on Lev 3:17, vol. 2, p. 335, whence, however, he refers to Gen 9:4. C. Society’s edition, vol. 1, p. 293.
(19) Lat. “Qui effuderit sanguinem hominis in homine;” he who shall have shed the blood of man in man. — Vide C. in loco.
(20) Quaest. in Leviticum, 57 Section 2. “Illud appellatur anima, quod significat animam.” — Edit. Benedict. tom. 3, p. 1 pag. 516.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(15) Notwithstanding thou mayest kill and eat flesh.This may very possibly be intended as a slight modification of a law made for the wilderness journey (Lev. 17:3-4). There the killing of an ox, or lamb, or goat is forbidden anywhere except at the door of the tabernacle. The word kill, though often used sacrificially, cannot be limited to sacrifice in that place, although the animals mentioned are all sacrificial animals. It would seem that the practice of sacrificing those animals elsewhere, very possibly for the sake of the feast which followed, had become so common that it was necessary to forbid the killing of them anywhere but at the door of the tabernacle. But the continuance of this precept in Canaan would stop the eating of flesh altogether. Hence the exception made here.
As of the roebuck, and as of the hart.The frequent mention of these animals in this connection suggests the idea that the hunting and catching of them may not have been an uncommon thing in the wilderness.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
15. Eat flesh in all thy gates The people had been forbidden during their march through the desert to kill an ox or lamb or goat in the camp. In every case the animal to be killed was to be brought to the tabernacle. See Lev 17:3-4. Moses now modifies this requirement. The people are allowed to kill animals for food away from the sanctuary; but the requirement is to be observed in respect to animals killed for sacrifice.
Lusteth after Better rendered, desireth, as of the roebuck, and as of the hart. These animals could not be offered in sacrifice, but might be eaten. They were clean for food, but could not be offered to Jehovah.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
The Slaughter of Animals Other Than As Sacrifices ( Deu 12:15-16 ).
But once Israel were established throughout the land and the sanctuary was at some considerable distance from many of the people (as it never was in the wilderness) some provision had to be made for the slaughter of animals for food other than by bringing them to the door of the tabernacle (Lev 17:1-9). This is now provided for here.
Deu 12:15
‘ Notwithstanding, you (thou) 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.’
While all ‘offerings and sacrifices’ must be offered at the one sanctuary, clean sacrificial-type animals not slain as offerings and sacrifices, but slaughtered for food, would, once they entered the land (and some were already in their portion of the land), not require to be brought to the Central Sanctuary, as had previously been the case (Lev 17:3-9). It was, of course, always recognised that game animals like the gazelle and the hart could be slain and eaten anywhere, as long as the blood was poured away. While being clean beasts they were not sacrificial beasts. But now in the same way all clean animals could be treated in the same way, even sacrificial-type animals, if they were not being offered as an offering or sacrifice. Within their towns as they needed them, they could kill and eat flesh with Yahweh’s given blessing. And both those in a state of ritual cleanness, and those not so, could then eat of them for they had not been offered in the sanctuary. Ritual cleanness mainly affected things connected with the sanctuary.
There is a reminder here for us that there are parts of our lives which, while of concern to God, are not strictly to do with His service. They are more to do with our physical sustenance. Jesus taught us that we were to learn to trust God for these without constantly having to ask Him for them. Our prayers should be concentrated on worthier objects (Mat 6:7-13; Mat 6:31-32). It is babes in Christ who are always asking for things for themselves. The mature Christian leaves his needs with God and concentrates his prayers on extending the kingly rule of God as Jesus taught.
Deu 12:16
‘ Only you (ye) shall not eat the blood. You (thou) shall pour it out on the earth as water.’
The only exception to this permission to eat the flesh of animals was that they were not to eat the blood. That represented the animal’s life and belonged solely to Yahweh, the Giver of life. Through this prohibition His continual sovereignty over all things was revealed (as it was with the tree of knowing good and evil). This exception of the blood is recognised throughout Scripture (see especially Lev 17:10-14) and covers all slain animals that were eaten. Not eating the blood acknowledged Yahweh’s sovereignty, and that all life belonged to Him. The pouring out of the blood was also probably to be seen as an act of worship. See on Deu 12:24.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Ver. 15. Notwithstanding, thou mayest kill and eat flesh, &c. During their encampments and travels in the wilderness, it was enacted, that all the beasts that were to be slain by any Israelite, for the use of his family, should be first presented to God at the tabernacle, by way of peace-offering, and there slain; Lev 22:1; Lev 22:33 which was no inconvenience to them, as the tabernacle was very near: but it is here allowed, that, after their settlement in Canaan, every householder may kill provision for his family at home, and in any place, without being obliged to bring any part of it to the altar; for, when their border was enlarged, the tabernacle must have been at so great a distance from some of them, that it would have been too heavy a burden to oblige them to kill every thing they ate at the tabernacle. They are, therefore, permitted to kill and eat flesh as they please, according to the blessing of the Lord: i.e. in a manner suitable to their state, and to the blessings which God had given them.
As of the roe-buck, and as of the hart Why not as of an ox, or a lamb, for they were of more familiar use? The reason is plain; because, (Leviticus 12.) to prevent idolatry, in offering of the blood to other gods, they were commanded to kill all the cattle they ate, at the door of the tabernacle, as a peace-offering, and sprinkle the blood on the altar. But wild beasts which were clean might be eaten, though their blood was not offered to God, ver. 13 because, being commonly killed before they were taken, their blood could not be sprinkled on the altar; and therefore it sufficed, in such cases, to pour out their blood wherever they were killed, and cover it with dust. And, for the same reason, when the camp was broken up, wherein all the people were in the neighbourhood of the tabernacle, and when they were scattered in their habitations through all the land of Canaan, those who were too far off from the temple were excused from killing their tame cattle at Jerusalem, and sprinkling their blood on the altar: no more was required of them than was required in killing a roe-buck, or any other clean wild beast.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Was not this prohibition of blood evidently intended to point to the infinitely preciousness of the blood of JESUS? All along from the very first of creation, had the HOLY GHOST an eye to this, in his sacred word! Gen 9:4 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Deu 12:15 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.
Ver. 15. According to the blessing. ] God allows his not only a sufficiency, but an honest affluency, so they keep within the bounds of their ability.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Deu 12:15-19
15However, 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. 16Only you shall not eat the blood; you are to pour it out on the ground like water. 17You are not allowed to eat within your gates the tithe of your grain or new wine or oil, or the firstborn of your herd or flock, or any of your votive offerings which you vow, or your freewill offerings, or the contribution of your hand. 18But you shall eat them before the LORD your God in the place which the LORD your God will choose, you and your son and daughter, and your male and female servants, and the Levite who is within your gates; and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God in all your undertakings. 19Be careful that you do not forsake the Levite as long as you live in your land.
Deu 12:15; Deu 12:20-24 you may slaughter This shows a widening of the Law (cf. Lev 17:1 ff). If an animal was killed (BDB 256, KB 261, Qal IMPERFECT) for food and not sacrifice, it could be killed anywhere.
Deu 12:15 unclean and the clean This does not refer to unclean animals as far as food (cf. Deu 12:20-22; Leviticus 11), but unclean animals as far as sacrifice. A blemished sheep could be eaten by humans as could some wild animals like deer, but not pigs, etc.
Deu 12:16 you shall not eat the blood This relates to the Hebrew reverence for blood as the symbol for life. Even when they killed animals, whether for eating or sacrifice, they poured the blood out (cf. Deu 15:23; Lev 17:13) and did not eat it, because life belonged to God. The blood represented life, life belongs to God (cf. Deu 12:23-25; Gen 9:4; Lev 7:11-12; Lev 17:10-11)!
Deu 12:17-18 This is another warning about only using the central shrine for worship (cf. Deu 12:26).
Deu 12:17 the tithe This verse lists several things that were to be tithed (BDB 798 cf. Deu 14:23; Deu 18:4; Num 18:12, see Special Topic: Tithe in the Mosaic Legislation ):
1. grain – BDB 186
2. wine – BDB 440
3. oil – BDB 850
This was an agricultural society.
Deu 12:19 See note at Deu 12:12.
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
thy soul = thyself. Hebrew. nephesh.
lusteth after = longeth for.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
whatsoever: Deu 14:26
the unclean: Deu 12:21, Deu 12:22, Deu 14:5, Deu 15:22, Deu 15:23, Lev 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: Gen 9:3 – Every Deu 12:20 – I will
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
12:15 Notwithstanding thou mayest kill and eat flesh in all thy gates, whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, according to the {i} blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee: the unclean and the clean may eat thereof, {k} as of the roebuck, and as of the hart.
(i) As God has given you power and ability.
(k) Everyone may eat equally at home the beast appointed for sacrifice and the other.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Regulations concerning blood 12:15-28
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
God explained that in the Promised Land the Israelites could slay and eat clean animals at their homes. They did not need to slaughter them at the tabernacle, as He required them to do in the wilderness (cf. Lev 17:3-6).