Deuteronomy 12:16
New International Version
But you must not eat the blood; pour it out on the ground like water.

New Living Translation
But you must not consume the blood. You must pour it out on the ground like water.

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

Berean Standard Bible
but you must not eat the blood; pour it on the ground like water.

King James Bible
Only ye shall not eat the blood; ye shall pour it upon the earth as water.

New King James Version
Only you shall not eat the blood; you shall pour it on the earth like water.

New American Standard Bible
Only you shall not eat the blood; you are to pour it out on the ground like water.

NASB 1995
“Only you shall not eat the blood; you are to pour it out on the ground like water.

NASB 1977
“Only you shall not eat the blood; you are to pour it out on the ground like water.

Legacy Standard Bible
Only you shall not eat the blood; you are to pour it out on the ground like water.

Amplified Bible
Only you shall not eat the blood; you are to pour it out on the ground like water.

Christian Standard Bible
but you must not eat the blood; pour it on the ground like water.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
but you must not eat the blood; pour it on the ground like water.

American Standard Version
Only ye shall not eat the blood; thou shalt pour it out upon the earth as water.

English Revised Version
Only ye shall not eat the blood; thou shalt pour it out upon the earth as water.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
But never eat the blood. Pour it on the ground like water.

Good News Translation
But you must not eat their blood; you must pour it out on the ground like water.

International Standard Version
Only, you must not consume the blood; instead, pour it out on the ground as you would water.

Majority Standard Bible
but you must not eat the blood; pour it on the ground like water.

NET Bible
However, you must not eat blood--pour it out on the ground like water.

New Heart English Bible
Only you shall not eat the blood; you shall pour it out on the earth as water.

Webster's Bible Translation
Only ye shall not eat the blood; ye shall pour it upon the earth as water.

World English Bible
Only you shall not eat the blood. You shall pour it out on the earth like water.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Only, you do not eat the blood—you pour it on the earth as water;

Young's Literal Translation
'Only, the blood ye do not eat -- on the earth thou dost pour it as water;

Smith's Literal Translation
Only the blood thou shalt not eat: upon the earth ye shall pour it as water.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Only the blood thou shalt not eat, but thou shalt pour it out upon the earth as water.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Only the blood you shall not eat. Instead, you shall pour it upon the ground like water.

New American Bible
Only, you shall not eat of the blood, but must pour it out on the ground like water.

New Revised Standard Version
The blood, however, you must not eat; you shall pour it out on the ground like water.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Only you shall not eat the blood; you shall pour it out upon the earth like water.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Only the blood you will not eat, but pour it on the ground like water.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Only ye shall not eat the blood; thou shalt pour it out upon the earth as water.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Only ye shall not eat the blood; ye shall pour it out on the ground as water.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
One Place for Worship
15But whenever you want, you may slaughter and eat meat within any of your gates, according to the blessing the LORD your God has given you. Both the ceremonially clean and unclean may eat it as they would a gazelle or deer, 16but you must not eat the blood; pour it on the ground like water. 17Within your gates you must not eat the tithe of your grain or new wine or oil, the firstborn of your herds or flocks, any of the offerings that you have vowed to give, or your freewill offerings or special gifts.…

Cross References
Leviticus 17:10-14
If anyone from the house of Israel or a foreigner living among them eats any blood, I will set My face against that person and cut him off from among his people. / For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for your souls upon the altar; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul. / Therefore I say to the Israelites, ‘None of you may eat blood, nor may any foreigner living among you eat blood.’ ...

Genesis 9:4
But you must not eat meat with its lifeblood still in it.

Acts 15:20
Instead, we should write and tell them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals, and from blood.

Acts 15:29
You must abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell.

Leviticus 3:17
This is a permanent statute for the generations to come, wherever you live: You must not eat any fat or any blood.”

Leviticus 7:26-27
You must not eat the blood of any bird or animal in any of your dwellings. / If anyone eats blood, that person must be cut off from his people.’”

1 Samuel 14:32-34
So they rushed greedily to the plunder, taking sheep, cattle, and calves. They slaughtered them on the ground and ate meat with the blood still in it. / Then someone reported to Saul: “Look, the troops are sinning against the LORD by eating meat with the blood still in it.” “You have broken faith,” said Saul. “Roll a large stone over here at once.” / Then he said, “Go among the troops and tell them, ‘Each man must bring me his ox or his sheep, slaughter them in this place, and then eat. Do not sin against the LORD by eating meat with the blood still in it.’” So that night everyone brought his ox and slaughtered it there.

Ezekiel 33:25
Therefore tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘You eat meat with the blood in it, lift up your eyes to your idols, and shed blood. Should you then possess the land?

Acts 21:25
As for the Gentile believers, we have written to them our decision that they must abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality.”

1 Corinthians 10:20-21
No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God. And I do not want you to be participants with demons. / You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot partake in the table of the Lord and the table of demons too.

Hebrews 9:22
According to the law, in fact, nearly everything must be purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

Leviticus 19:26
You must not eat anything with blood still in it. You must not practice divination or sorcery.

1 Corinthians 8:1-13
Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. / The one who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know. / But the one who loves God is known by God. ...

Romans 14:14-21
I am convinced and fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean. / If your brother is distressed by what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother, for whom Christ died. / Do not allow what you consider good, then, to be spoken of as evil. ...

1 Timothy 4:4-5
For every creation of God is good, and nothing that is received with thanksgiving should be rejected, / because it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.


Treasury of Scripture

Only you shall not eat the blood; you shall pour it on the earth as water.

Deuteronomy 12:23,24
Only be sure that thou eat not the blood: for the blood is the life; and thou mayest not eat the life with the flesh…

Deuteronomy 15:23
Only thou shalt not eat the blood thereof; thou shalt pour it upon the ground as water.

Genesis 9:4
But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat.

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Deuteronomy 12
1. Monuments of idolatry to be destroyed
4. The place of God's service to be kept
15. Blood is forbidden
17. Holy things must be eaten in the holy place
19. The Levite is not to be forsaken
20. Blood is again forbidden
26. and holy things must be eaten in the holy place
29. Idolatry is not to be enquired after














But you must not eat the blood
The phrase "you must not eat the blood" is a direct command from God, emphasizing the sanctity of life. In Hebrew, the word for blood is "דָּם" (dam), which is often associated with life itself, as seen in Leviticus 17:11, "For the life of the flesh is in the blood." This prohibition is rooted in the understanding that life belongs to God, and consuming blood would be akin to consuming life itself, which is sacred. Historically, this command set the Israelites apart from surrounding nations, many of whom practiced rituals involving the consumption of blood. This distinction reinforced their identity as a people consecrated to God, adhering to His laws and recognizing His sovereignty over life.

pour it on the ground like water
The instruction to "pour it on the ground like water" signifies a respectful disposal of the blood, acknowledging its sacredness. In ancient Israelite culture, pouring blood on the ground was an act of returning life to God, the giver of life. The imagery of water suggests a natural, life-sustaining element, reinforcing the idea that blood, like water, is essential and should be treated with reverence. Archaeological findings have shown that such practices were common in ancient Israel, reflecting a deep-seated belief in the sanctity of life and the importance of following divine commandments. This act also served as a constant reminder of the covenant relationship between God and His people, where obedience to His laws was paramount.

(16) Ye shall pour it upon the earth.--This act was a necessary part of every slaughter of an animal for food. The blood, which is the life, must be poured upon the earth for God, whether the victim was consigned to the altar or not. It was a continual reminder of the necessity for the sacrifice of the death of Christ, to be continued until He should come. Thus the act was, in a sense, sacramental.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
but
רַ֥ק (raq)
Adverb
Strong's 7535: But, even, except, howbeit howsoever, at the least, nevertheless

you must not
לֹ֣א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

eat
תֹאכֵ֑לוּ (ṯō·ḵê·lū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 398: To eat

the blood;
הַדָּ֖ם (had·dām)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1818: Blood, of man, an animal, the juice of the grape, bloodshed

pour
תִּשְׁפְּכֶ֖נּוּ (tiš·pə·ḵen·nū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular | third person masculine singular
Strong's 8210: To spill forth, to expend, to sprawl out

it on
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the ground
הָאָ֥רֶץ (hā·’ā·reṣ)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

like water.
כַּמָּֽיִם׃ (kam·mā·yim)
Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 4325: Water, juice, urine, semen


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OT Law: Deuteronomy 12:16 Only you shall not eat the blood (Deut. De Du)
Deuteronomy 12:15
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