Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 12:20–25

²⁰When the LORD your God expands your territory as He has promised, and you crave meat and say, “I want to eat meat,” you may eat it whenever you want. ²¹If the place where the LORD your God chooses to put His Name is too far from you, then you may slaughter any of the herd or flock He has given you, as I have commanded you, and you may eat it within your gates whenever you want. ²²Indeed, you may eat it as you would eat a gazelle or deer; both the ceremonially unclean and the clean may eat it. ²³Only be sure not to eat the blood, because the blood is the life, and you must not eat the life with the meat. ²⁴You must not eat the blood; pour it on the ground like water. ²⁵Do not eat it, so that it may go well with you and your children after you, because you will be doing what is right in the eyes of the LORD.

Read all of Deuteronomy 12

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Deuteronomy 12:20

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
When	כִּֽי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
the LORD	יְהוָ֨ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
your God	אֱלֹהֶ֥יךָ	’ĕ·lō·he·ḵā	Noun - masculine plural construct; second person masculine singular	H430 God
expands	יַרְחִיב֩	yar·ḥîḇ	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7337 be, or grow, wide, large
your territory	גְּבֽוּלְךָ֮	gə·ḇū·lə·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H1366 border, boundary, territory
as	כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר	ka·’ă·šer	Preposition-k; Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
He has promised	דִּבֶּר־	dib·ber-	Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H1696 speak
and you	נַפְשְׁךָ֖	nap̄·šə·ḵā	Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
crave	תְאַוֶּ֥ה	ṯə·’aw·weh	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person feminine singular	H183 incline, desire
meat	בָּשָׂ֑ר	bā·śār	Noun - masculine singular	H1320 flesh
and say	וְאָמַרְתָּ֙	wə·’ā·mar·tā	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
I want to eat	אֹכְלָ֣ה	’ō·ḵə·lāh	Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular	H398 eat
meat	בָשָׂ֔ר	ḇā·śār	Noun - masculine singular	H1320 flesh
you may eat	תֹּאכַ֥ל	tō·ḵal	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H398 eat
it	בָּשָֽׂר׃	bā·śār	Noun - masculine singular	H1320 flesh
whenever	בְּכָל־	bə·ḵāl	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
you	נַפְשְׁךָ֖	nap̄·šə·ḵā	Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
want	אַוַּ֥ת	’aw·waṯ	Noun - feminine singular construct	H185 desire

Deuteronomy 12:21

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
If	כִּֽי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
the place	הַמָּק֗וֹם	ham·mā·qō·wm	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H4725 standing, spot, condition
where	אֲשֶׁ֨ר	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
the LORD	יְהוָ֣ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
your God	אֱלֹהֶיךָ֮	’ĕ·lō·he·ḵā	Noun - masculine plural construct; second person masculine singular	H430 God
chooses	יִבְחַ֜ר	yiḇ·ḥar	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H977 choose
to put	לָשׂ֣וּם	lā·śūm	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H7760 put, place, set
His Name	שְׁמ֣וֹ	šə·mōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H8034 name
is too far	יִרְחַ֨ק	yir·ḥaq	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7368 be, or become, far, distant
from you	מִמְּךָ֜	mim·mə·ḵā	Preposition; second person masculine singular	H4480 out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not
then you may slaughter	וְזָבַחְתָּ֞	wə·zā·ḇaḥ·tā	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular	H2076 slaughter for sacrifice
any of the herd	מִבְּקָרְךָ֣	mib·bə·qā·rə·ḵā	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H1241 cattle, herd, ox
or flock	וּמִצֹּֽאנְךָ֗	ū·miṣ·ṣō·nə·ḵā	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m; Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H6629 small cattle, sheep and goats, flock, flocks
He	יְהוָה֙	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
has given	נָתַ֤ן	nā·ṯan	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H5414 give, put, set
you	לְךָ֔	lə·ḵā	Preposition; second person masculine singular
as	אֲשֶׁ֨ר	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
I have commanded you	צִוִּיתִ֑ךָ	ṣiw·wî·ṯi·ḵā	Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singular; second person masculine singular	H6680 lay charge (upon), give charge (to), charge, command, order
and you may eat	וְאָֽכַלְתָּ֙	wə·’ā·ḵal·tā	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular	H398 eat
it within your gates	בִּשְׁעָרֶ֔יךָ	biš·‘ā·re·ḵā	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine plural construct; second person masculine singular	H8179 gate
whenever	בְּכֹ֖ל	bə·ḵōl	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
you	נַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃	nap̄·še·ḵā	Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
want	אַוַּ֥ת	’aw·waṯ	Noun - feminine singular construct	H185 desire

Deuteronomy 12:22

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Indeed	אַ֗ךְ	’aḵ	Adverb	H389 surely
you may eat	יֵאָכֵ֤ל	yê·’ā·ḵêl	Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H398 eat
it as	כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר	ka·’ă·šer	Preposition-k; Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
you would eat	תֹּאכְלֶ֑נּוּ	tō·ḵə·len·nū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular; third person masculine singular	H398 eat
a gazelle	הַצְּבִי֙	haṣ·ṣə·ḇî	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H6643 beauty, honour
or deer	הָ֣אַיָּ֔ל	hā·’ay·yāl	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H354 hart, stag, deer
both	יַחְדָּ֖ו	yaḥ·dāw	Adverb	H3162 unitedness
the ceremonially unclean	הַטָּמֵא֙	haṭ·ṭā·mê	Article; Adjective - masculine singular	H2931 unclean
and the clean	וְהַטָּה֔וֹר	wə·haṭ·ṭā·hō·wr	Conjunctive waw, Article; Adjective - masculine singular	H2889 clean, pure
may eat it	יֹאכְלֶֽנּוּ׃	yō·ḵə·len·nū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular; third person masculine singular	H398 eat

Deuteronomy 12:23

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Only	רַ֣ק	raq	Adverb	H7535 thin
be sure	חֲזַ֗ק	ḥă·zaq	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular	H2388 be or grow firm, strong, strengthen
not	לְבִלְתִּי֙	lə·ḇil·tî	Preposition-l	H1115 not, except
to eat	אֲכֹ֣ל	’ă·ḵōl	Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H398 eat
the blood	הַדָּ֔ם	had·dām	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H1818 blood
because	כִּ֥י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
the blood	הַדָּ֖ם	had·dām	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H1818 blood
is	ה֣וּא	hū	Pronoun - third person masculine singular	H1931 he, she
the life	הַנָּ֑פֶשׁ	han·nā·p̄eš	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
and you must not	וְלֹא־	wə·lō-	Conjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
eat	תֹאכַ֥ל	ṯō·ḵal	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H398 eat
the life	הַנֶּ֖פֶשׁ	han·ne·p̄eš	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
with	עִם־	‘im-	Preposition	H5973 with
the meat	הַבָּשָֽׂר׃	hab·bā·śār	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H1320 flesh

Deuteronomy 12:24

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
You must not eat	תֹּאכְלֶ֑נּוּ	tō·ḵə·len·nū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular; third person masculine singular	H398 eat
pour	תִּשְׁפְּכֶ֖נּוּ	tiš·pə·ḵen·nū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular; third person masculine singular	H8210 pour out, pour
it on	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
the ground	הָאָ֥רֶץ	hā·’ā·reṣ	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H776 earth, land
like water	כַּמָּֽיִם׃	kam·mā·yim	Preposition-k, Article; Noun - masculine plural	H4325 water, juice, urine

Deuteronomy 12:25

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Do not	לֹ֖א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
eat it	תֹּאכְלֶ֑נּוּ	tō·ḵə·len·nū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular; third person masculine singular	H398 eat
so that	לְמַ֨עַן	lə·ma·‘an	Conjunction	H4616 purpose, intent
it may go well	יִיטַ֤ב	yî·ṭaḇ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3190 be good, well, glad, pleasing
with you	לְךָ֙	lə·ḵā	Preposition; second person masculine singular
and your children	וּלְבָנֶ֣יךָ	ū·lə·ḇā·ne·ḵā	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l; Noun - masculine plural construct; second person masculine singular	H1121 son
after you	אַחֲרֶ֔יךָ	’a·ḥă·re·ḵā	Preposition; second person masculine singular	H310 behind
because	כִּֽי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
you will be doing	תַעֲשֶׂ֥ה	ṯa·‘ă·śeh	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H6213 do, make
what is right	הַיָּשָׁ֖ר	hay·yā·šār	Article; Adjective - masculine singular	H3477 straight, right
in the eyes	בְּעֵינֵ֥י	bə·‘ê·nê	Preposition-b; Noun - cdc	H5869 eye
of the LORD	יְהוָֽה׃	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh