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15 “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. 16 But you must not consume the blood. You must pour it out on the ground like water.

17 “But you may not eat your offerings in your hometown—neither the tithe of your grain and new wine and olive oil, nor the firstborn of your flocks and herds, nor any offering to fulfill a vow, nor your voluntary offerings, nor your sacred offerings. 18 You must eat these in the presence of the Lord your God at the place he will choose. Eat them there with your children, your servants, and the Levites who live in your towns, celebrating in the presence of the Lord your God in all you do. 19 And be very careful never to neglect the Levites as long as you live in your land.

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Regulations for Eating Sacrificial and Non-Sacrificial Foods

15 On the other hand, you may slaughter and eat meat as you please when the Lord your God blesses you[a] in all your villages.[b] Both the ritually pure and impure may eat it, whether it is a gazelle or an ibex. 16 However, you must not eat blood—pour it out on the ground like water. 17 You will not be allowed to eat in your villages your tithe of grain, new wine, olive oil, the firstborn of your herd and flock, any votive offerings you have vowed, or your freewill and personal offerings. 18 Only in the presence of the Lord your God may you eat these, in the place he[c] chooses. This applies to you, your son, your daughter, your male and female servants, and the Levites[d] in your villages. In that place you will rejoice before the Lord your God in all the output of your labor.[e] 19 Be careful not to overlook the Levites as long as you live in the land.

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Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 12:15 tn Heb “only in all the desire of your soul you may sacrifice and eat flesh according to the blessing of the Lord your God which he has given to you.”
  2. Deuteronomy 12:15 tn Heb “gates” (so KJV, NASB; likewise in vv. 17, 18).
  3. Deuteronomy 12:18 tn Heb “the Lord your God.” See note on “he” in 12:5.
  4. Deuteronomy 12:18 tn See note at Deut 12:12.
  5. Deuteronomy 12:18 tn Heb “in all the sending forth of your hands.”