Deuteronomy 12:20

“When YHWH your Elohim enlarges your territory as he has spoken to you, and you say, “I will eat meat,” because your soul craves to eat meat, you may eat meat with all the desire of your soul.”

Deuteronomy 12:20 · direct translation from the Hebrew
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20

Deuteronomy 12:20, word by word

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
enlargesיַרְחִיבyarchiv

make room, enlarge

Make wide, give ample room; enlarge.

Where else “yarchiv” appears
your territoryגְּבוּלְgevul

territory

The land within that border.

Where else “gevul” appears
he has spokenדִּבֶּרdiber

speak

To speak, say something; above all God to his people.

Where else “diber” appears
and you sayאָמַרְתָּamarta

say

To say with the mouth to someone what one thinks or wants, or to answer him.

Where else “amarta” appears
“I will eatאֹכְלָהochla

eat

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

Where else “ochla” appears
meatבָשָׂרvasar

meat

Meat to eat.

Where else “vasar” appears
your soulנַפְשְׁnafsh

appetite

Hunger or craving; the throat.

Where else “nafsh” appears
cravesתְאַוֶּהteave

crave, desire

Desire strongly, crave something.

Where else “teave” appears
the desireאַוַּתavat

desire, craving

Desire: a strong wanting of something.

Where else “avat” appears

The context

19Guard yourself so that you do not abandon the Levite all your days on your land.

20 · This verse (above)

21If the place that YHWH your Elohim chooses to put his name there is far from you, then you may sacrifice from your herd and from your flock that YHWH has given you, as I have commanded you, and you may eat within your gates with all the desire of your soul.

Read all of Deuteronomy 12

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