15 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,(A) according to the blessing the Lord your God gives you. Both the ceremonially unclean and the clean may eat it. 16 But you must not eat the blood;(B) pour(C) it out on the ground like water.(D) 17 You must not eat in your own towns the tithe(E) of your grain and new wine and olive oil,(F) or the firstborn of your herds and flocks, or whatever you have vowed to give,(G) or your freewill offerings or special gifts.(H) 18 Instead, you are to eat(I) them in the presence of the Lord your God at the place the Lord your God will choose(J)—you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levites from your towns—and you are to rejoice(K) before the Lord your God in everything you put your hand to. 19 Be careful not to neglect the Levites(L) as long as you live in your land.(M)

Read full chapter

15 “But whenever you desire[a] 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;[b] the unclean and the clean may eat it just as they would the gazelle and as the deer. 16 Only the blood you must not eat, but on the ground you must pour it like water. 17 You are not allowed to eat in your towns[c] the tithe of your grain and your wine and your olive oil and the firstborn of your herd and your flock and all of your votive gifts that you vowed and your freewill offering and your donations.[d] 18 But only before[e] Yahweh your God you shall eat it, at the place that Yahweh your God will choose,[f] you and your son and your daughter and your slave and your slave woman and the Levite who is in your towns,[g] and you must rejoice before[h] your God in all your undertakings.[i] 19 Take care[j] so that you do not neglect the Levite all of your days on your land.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 12:15 Literally “in all the wanting of your soul/inner self”
  2. Deuteronomy 12:15 Literally “gates”
  3. Deuteronomy 12:17 Literally “gates”
  4. Deuteronomy 12:17 Literally “the contribution of your hand”
  5. Deuteronomy 12:18 Literally “before the face of”
  6. Deuteronomy 12:18 Hebrew “choose it”
  7. Deuteronomy 12:18 Literally “gate”
  8. Deuteronomy 12:18 Literally “before the face of”
  9. Deuteronomy 12:18 Literally “in all of the sending of your hand”
  10. Deuteronomy 12:19 Literally “Watch for yourself”