Deuteronomy 12:21

12:20 When the LORD thy God shall enlarge thy border, as he hath promised thee, and thou shalt say, I will eat flesh, because thy soul longeth to eat flesh; thou mayest eat flesh, whatsoever thy soul lusteth after.

If the place which the LORD thy God hath chosen to put his name there be too far from thee, then thou shalt kill of thy herd and of thy flock, which the LORD hath given thee, as I have commanded thee, and thou shalt eat in thy gates whatsoever thy soul lusteth after.

KJV

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If the place which Yahweh your God shall choose, to put his name there, is too far from you, then you shall kill of your herd and of your flock, which Yahweh has given you, as I have commanded you; and you may eat within your gates, after all the desire of your soul.

If the place which the Lord thy God hath chosen to put his name there be too far from thee, then thou shalt kill of thy herd and of thy flock, which the Lord hath given thee, as I have commanded thee, and thou shalt eat in thy gates whatsoever thy soul lusteth after.

If the place which the LORD your God has chosen to put his name there be too far from you, then you shall kill of your herd and of your flock, which the LORD has given you, as I have commanded you, and you shall eat in your gates whatever your soul lusts after.

12:22 Even as the roebuck and the hart is eaten, so thou shalt eat them: the unclean and the clean shall eat of them alike.

What does Deuteronomy 12:21 mean?

Deuteronomy 12:21 is a verse in the book of Deuteronomy, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include מָקוֹם (mâqôwm), יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh), אֱלֹהִים (ʼĕlôhîym). It connects to 17 cross-referenced passages elsewhere in Scripture.

Hebrew interlinear

the

placeמָקוֹםmâqôwm/maw-kome'/H4725properly, a standing, i.e. a spot; but used widely of a locality (general or specific); also (figuratively) of a condition (of body or mind)

which

the

LORDיְהֹוָהYᵉhôvâh/yeh-ho-vaw'/H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of God

thy

Godאֱלֹהִיםʼĕlôhîym/el-o-heem'/H430gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative

hath

chosenבָּחַרbâchar/baw-khar'/H977properly, to try, i.e. (by implication) select

putשׂוּםsûwm/soom/H7760to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and elliptically)

his

nameשֵׁםshêm/shame/H8034an appellation, as amark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority, character

there

too

farרָחַקrâchaq/raw-khak'/H7368to widen (in any direction), i.e. (intransitively) recede or (transitively) remove (literally or figuratively, of place or relation)

from

thee,

then

thou

shalt

killזָבַחzâbach/zaw-bakh'/H2076to slaughter an animal (usually in sacrifice)

thy

herdבָּקָרbâqâr/baw-kawr'/H1241beef cattle or an animal of the ox family of either gender (as used for plowing); collectively, a herd

and

thy

flock,צֹאןtsôʼn/tsone/H6629a collective name for a flock (of sheep or goats); also figuratively (of men)

which

the

LORDיְהֹוָהYᵉhôvâh/yeh-ho-vaw'/H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of God

hath

givenנָתַןnâthan/naw-than'/H5414to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)

thee,

have

commandedצָוָהtsâvâh/tsaw-vaw'/H6680(intensively) to constitute, enjoin

thee,

and

thou

shalt

eatאָכַלʼâkal/aw-kal'/H398to eat (literally or figuratively)

thy

gatesשַׁעַרshaʻar/shah'-ar/H8179an opening, i.e. door or gate

whatsoever

thy

soulנֶפֶשׁnephesh/neh'-fesh/H5315properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental)

lusteth

after.אַוָּהʼavvâh/av-vaw'/H185longing

Commentary on Deuteronomy 12:21

HENRY_FULL · Deuteronomy 12:20–22

" Summary of Religion. ( b. c. 1451.) 1 Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the Lord your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it: 2 That thou mightest fear the Lord thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son's son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged. 3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the Lord God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey. Observe here, 1. That Moses taught the people all that, and that only, which God commanded him to teach them, v. 1 . Thus Christ's ministers are to teach his churches all that he has commanded, and neither more nor less, Matt. xxviii. 20 . 2. That the end of their being taught was that they might do as they were taught ( v. 1 ), might keep God's statutes ( v. 2 ), and observe to do them, v. 3 . Good instructions from parents and ministers will but aggravate our condemnation if we do not live up to them. 3. That Moses carefully endeavoured to fix them for God and godliness, now that they were entering upon the land of Canaan, that they might be prepared for the comforts of that land, and fortified against the snares of it, and now that they were setting out in the world might set out well. 4. That the fear of God in the heart will be the most powerful principle of obedience: That thou mightest fear the Lord thy God, to keep all his statutes, v. 2 . 5. The entail of religion in a family, or country, is the best entail: it is highly desirable that not we only, but our children, and our children's children, may fear the Lord. 6. Religion and righteousness advance and secure the prosperity of any people. Fear God, and it shall be well with thee. Those that are well taught, if they do what they are taught, shall be well fed too, as Israel in the land flowing with milk and honey, v. 3 .

Cross-references

Related passages from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

Deuteronomy 4:35

Unto thee it was shewed, that thou mightest know that the LORD he is God; there is none else beside him.

Deuteronomy 4:36

Out of heaven he made thee to hear his voice, that he might instruct thee: and upon earth he shewed thee his great fire; and thou heardest his words out of the midst of the fire.

Deuteronomy 5:6

I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. bondage: Heb. servants

1 Kings 18:21

And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word. opinions: or, thoughts

2 Kings 19:5

So the servants of king Hezekiah came to Isaiah.

1 Chronicles 29:10

Wherefore David blessed the LORD before all the congregation: and David said, Blessed be thou, LORD God of Israel our father, for ever and ever.

Isaiah 42:8

I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.

Isaiah 44:6

Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.

Isaiah 44:8

Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any. God; I: Heb. rock, etc

Isaiah 45:5

I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me:

Isaiah 45:6

That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else.

Jeremiah 10:10

But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation. true: Heb. God of truth everlasting: Heb. king of eternity

Jeremiah 10:11

Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens.

Mark 12:29

And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:

John 17:3

And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

1 Corinthians 8:4

As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one.

1 Timothy 2:5

For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

Topics

Sanitation

Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with Deuteronomy 12:21.

Deuteronomy 14:24

And if the way be too long for thee, so that thou art not able to carry it; or if the place be too far from thee, which the LORD thy God shall choose to set his name there, when the LORD thy God hath blessed thee:

Deuteronomy 12:5

But unto the place which the LORD your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come:

Deuteronomy 26:2

That thou shalt take of the first of all the fruit of the earth, which thou shalt bring of thy land that the LORD thy God giveth thee, and shalt put it in a basket, and shalt go unto the place which the LORD thy God shall choose to place his name there.

Deuteronomy 1:10

The LORD your God hath multiplied you, and, behold, ye are this day as the stars of heaven for multitude.

Deuteronomy 1:11

(The LORD God of your fathers make you a thousand times so many more as ye are, and bless you, as he hath promised you!)

Deuteronomy 1:19

And when we departed from Horeb, we went through all that great and terrible wilderness, which ye saw by the way of the mountain of the Amorites, as the LORD our God commanded us; and we came to Kadeshbarnea.

Deuteronomy 1:20

And I said unto you, Ye are come unto the mountain of the Amorites, which the LORD our God doth give unto us.

Deuteronomy 1:21

Behold, the LORD thy God hath set the land before thee: go up and possess it, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath said unto thee; fear not, neither be discouraged.

Frequently asked questions

What does Deuteronomy 12:21 say?

Deuteronomy 12:21 (King James Version) reads: "If the place which the LORD thy God hath chosen to put his name there be too far from thee, then thou shalt kill of thy herd and of thy flock, which the LORD hath given thee, as I have commanded thee, and thou shalt eat in thy gates whatsoever thy soul lusteth after."

Is Deuteronomy 12:21 in the Old or New Testament?

Deuteronomy 12:21 is in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of Deuteronomy.

Reflect

As you read Deuteronomy 12:21, what is one truth here you can carry into today?

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