Deuteronomy 12:15

“However, with all the desire of your soul you may sacrifice and eat meat according to the blessing of YHWH your Elohim that he has given you within all your gates; the unclean and the clean may eat it, as they eat the gazelle and the deer.”

Deuteronomy 12:15 · direct translation from the Hebrew
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With the Hebrew beneath

15

Deuteronomy 12:15, word by word

the desireאַוַּתavat

desire, craving

Desire: a strong wanting of something.

Where else “avat” appears
of your soulנַפְשְׁnafsh

appetite

Hunger or craving; the throat.

Where else “nafsh” appears
you may sacrificeתִּזְבַּחtizbach

sacrifice

To kill an animal as a gift to God or other gods.

Where else “tizbach” appears
and eatאָכַלְתָּachalta

eat

To bring food to the mouth and swallow it, above all at a shared table.

Where else “achalta” appears
meatבָשָׂרvasar

meat

Meat to eat.

Where else “vasar” appears
according to the blessingבִרְכַּתvirkat

blessing

The good God gives, or words asking for it.

Where else “virkat” appears
of YHWHיְהוָהyehva

YHWH

The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.

Where else “yehva” appears
your Elohimאֱלֹהֶיelohe

Elohim

The one true God, the Creator; the word is plural but means one.

Where else “elohe” appears
he has givenנָתַןnatan

give

To hand something over to someone: a gift, a payment, a charge or a land.

Where else “natan” appears
your gatesשְׁעָרֶיsheare

gate

The entrance of a city or house, with doors that close.

Where else “sheare” appears
the uncleanטָּמֵאtame

unclean

Unclean under the law, kept from holy things; not "dirty".

Where else “tame” appears
and the cleanטָּהוֹרtahor

clean

Fit under the law for worship, without stain.

Where else “tahor” appears
as they eat the gazelleצְּבִיtsevi

gazelle

A light, handsome animal of the deer family, which could be hunted and eaten.

Where else “tsevi” appears
and the deerאַיָּלayal

deer, stag

Deer, stag.

Where else “ayal” appears

Translation note

Here “sacrifice” means killing an animal to eat it at home, without taking it to the sanctuary. The gazelle and the deer could be eaten, but they were not offered on the altar.

The context

14but in the place that YHWH chooses in one of your tribes, there you shall offer your burnt offerings, and there you shall do all that I am commanding you.

15 · This verse (above)

16Only the blood you shall not eat; you shall pour it out on the earth like water.

Read all of Deuteronomy 12

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